


Moonlight Upon Your Skin

by Angelsgrace, Sassy_Boo_Bear



Category: Larry Stylinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Liam, Alpha Louis, Alpha Niall, Alpha Zayn, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Childhood Friends, Famous Liam, Famous Louis, Famous Niall, Famous Zayn, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, Fluff, Growing Up, Growing Up Together, M/M, Misunderstandings, Older Louis, Omega Harry, Ordinary Harry, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Younger Harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2018-01-08
Packaged: 2018-04-18 03:51:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 159,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4690994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelsgrace/pseuds/Angelsgrace, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sassy_Boo_Bear/pseuds/Sassy_Boo_Bear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Despite the four year age gap, Harry and Louis had always been best friends.</p><p>When Louis, Niall, Zayn and Harry's older brother Liam formed the phenomenon that was One Direction, Harry was no longer just a best friend, he also became Louis' biggest fan.</p><p>But with Louis presenting as an alpha and Harry as an omega, neither of them could have predicted the new levels their friendship would evolve into, and how much more they could be if they only realised it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_ _

 

Niall Aged 18,  Harry Aged 15

Louis Aged 19

Zayn Aged 18

Liam Aged 18

 

Harry Edward Styles sat comfortably on his bed, back leant against the headrest, laptop resting comfortably on his thighs, homework questions to his right, a large package and a calendar to his left.  

He frowned as he considered the next sentence to write, his fingers tapping nimbly over the keys as he constructed his essay, keeping one eye firmly on the time as well as his information source.

"Think that sounds good Boo?" he asked aloud to a large cuddly toy hedgehog that he had propped at the foot of the bed. "Does it actually answer the question?  Or have I just rambled?"

The hedgehog said nothing unsurprisingly, but Harry smiled warmly at it anyway.  He checked the little clock in the corner of his laptop.  It was almost time.  He was always nervous, but he was also pretty excited.

A soft tap sounded on his bedroom door, and his mother's head slowly came into view.

"Are you ready baby?" she asked smiling at him. "Do you know what you're going to say?"

Harry nodded, beaming so brightly his dimples popped, "I've got props this time too!" he explained enthusiastically, indicating to the brightly coloured package and calendar.

"I'll leave you to it then," Anne Styles replied lovingly, blowing him a small kiss, which he caught and pressed to his cheek. "Have fun, give my love to the boys... and tell my other son to call me!" Anne finished a little indignantly, "It's not just you who misses Liam!"

Harry nodded seriously.  He ran his fingers through his chocolate brown curls, noticing the second hand on his watch was ticking closer and closer.

With two minutes to spare, the familiar Skype ring tone filled the bedroom, Harry leaping to answer it as soon as he could.

"Harry!"

Harry was grinning so hard, his whole face felt like it was going to crack, but he didn't care in the slightest if it did, because finally, after a rubbish day at school, Louis William Tomlinson was calling him.

"How's it going?" Harry blurted out almost as soon as he saw the face of his best friend filling his computer screen, his blue eyes sparkling with well-known cheekiness, "I wish I was there!"

Louis chuckled. "Not long now love," he promised, "just another week and then you'll be at every show till Christmas!"

"Two whole weeks!" Harry breathed dreamily, "I can't wait!  I've already packed!"

Louis shook his head, really excited at the prospect himself.  He exhaled loudly, blowing his fringe out of his eyes.  He liked his hair a little on the long side, but it could do with a trim.  He'd have to mention it to Lou tomorrow.

"Zayn's just doing his bit out there, we'll get you on in a sec, all ready?" he asked Harry, craning his neck to see what was happening back on stage.

"Yup!" Harry grinned proudly. "And I have props!"

"Ooh!" Louis teased. "Someone is taking this seriously!"

"Well, this is your life," Harry told him seriously, "I love that you trust me to do this.  I don't want to let you down."

"You could never let me down," Louis hurried to reassure him. "Never ever!" and he meant it.

Louis looked around to check he was still on cue, then back to Harry.  In the background Harry could hear the faint sounds of screaming girls, and could only imagine the sight of the crowd - male, female, alpha, beta or omega - Louis and the lads were adored by almost everyone. Warmth of pride filled his chest as he listened.  This was something special, and he was so honoured to be a part of it.

"Ok, love, I'm going back out.  You know the drill, be ready!"

Harry nodded.  He could feel the adrenalin starting to build up inside, butterflies nervously collecting in his tummy.  But it was a good kind of nervous, the most wonderful kind.

 

Louis strutted back on stage, tipping Liam the wink to get introductions started.

"Cardiff are you having a good night?" he shouted out at the crowd who screamed back their approval.  

Liam grinned, taking a breath to bask in the moment.

"We really want to thank you all for coming tonight," Liam said seriously. "It's been an absolutely amazing couple of years for us, and you know we would not be here without your constant love and support!"

"As you all know," Zayn Malik took over, walking along the front of the stage to raucous screams from the crowd. "four years ago, two of my best friends and I decided to take our little Saturday night jam sessions, and do something proper with them - really make something out of what we were doing," he paused and clapped Niall Horan on the back.  

The blonde Irish lad was grinning away as he always was, pleased as punch to be there.  No matter how many times he heard this planned speech, he knew he would never get tired of hearing it.  He would never feel anything but humble at how so many different people, all from such different walks of life, would all come together to listen to him and his best friends play the music they loved, hoping to put a few smiles into their worlds and make them feel wonderful - even if it was for just a couple of hours, the memories of every night would last him a lifetime.

"We looked high and low for someone to complete our group," Zayn continued to explain, the lights making his eyes gleam with pleasure, "and somewhere along the way, this lad tagged along.  We clicked, we formed a bond, and for that very reason we never got rid of him!  Even if he does eat us out of house and home!  Aren't you glad we didn't?"

Zayn shouted the next bit at the crowd, who instantly hollered and stamped their feet with approval.  Everyone loved Niall with his infectious laugh and sunshine personality.  Everyone loved how placid and normal he was.  In short, everyone just loved him.

"If it hadn't been for Niall, we would have never auditioned for The X Factor!"

More cheering.  More whistling.  

Niall glowed with pride.  It had been him who had sent in their application form.  It had been him who had dragged all four stubborn lads out of bed on that cold, dark Saturday morning.  It had been him who had begged his older brother Greg to skip footie practice and drive them down to London, all to surprise them with the audition that would change their lives.

But to be fair, he couldn't take all the credit.  He may have got them to the audition location, but it hadn't been him who had persuaded the lads to actually go through with it and face the judges.  Only four of them were in the group, and it was the one who wasn't who managed to persuade the other three at that critical moment.

"However.  There is one person who we wouldn't have made it here without," Liam stated fondly, wrapping an arm around Zayn's shoulders, so caught up in the memory that he just had to hug someone.

"There is one person, extremely close to all four of us - pretty much the fifth member of the band he's so involved.  He was there for every one of our practices, before and after we recruited Niall.  He came up with the name you know us as today, and he was the one who shoved us in front of the judges and told us that we were something special when we all - except Nialler here - doubted it!  Was he right?"

Liam laughed at the screams which held nothing back except their unwavering agreement. 

The boys themselves didn't think they were special as such.  

No matter of their success, all of them considered themselves to be four ordinary lads, who believed in a dream, sharing the same thirst and desire to showcase their passion, and got lucky.

They didn't win The X Factor.  But they could never complain about coming third place in the final.

For ten weeks they were on prime time television.  

Ten weeks of four ordinary and relatable lads, putting everything they had into their live performances, mucking around in their now legendary video diaries - they showed the viewing public everything that they were inside and out, ashamed of nothing. 

Because of their unassuming innocence, it still surprised them to no end to realise that they had actually won over a huge percentage of the British public.  Even when they didn't win and their future could have gone one of two ways - there was no blocking out the audible sigh of relief that echoed around the television studio when Zayn uttered the immortal line that within the fans hearts signified the start of something huge:

"This isn't the end of One Direction."

With their carefree attitude, witty banter, individual personalities, and a huge thanks to social media and their solid, passionate English fan base spreading the word, very unexpectedly, pretty soon the whole world was rooting for them.

One Direction may not have won The X Factor, but they won the world.  Not bad for four young lads who used to sit around singing cover versions for fun on a Saturday night!

 

"Now, this is a new feature to this tour," Liam started to explain. "Does anyone know it?"

The ticket holders who had access to Twitter already knew what was coming.  

It had started as something silly that Niall had posted as a joke after his success of #WhereWeGoingTodayMark? which was silly in itself.  Niall and his personal trainer (get him!), would make up a funny thirty second clip of the town they would be performing in that night and post it to the masses.  Needless to say it was very popular.  It shouldn't have come as a surprise that Niall's next jokey feature which had been comically titled #WhatDidYouDoTodayHazza had the same impact - but it did - everything came as a surprise, everything astounded them and they took nothing for granted.  After all, how long could this level of popularity possibly last for?

 

Random things were shouted out to him, and Liam grinned at them, pleased that so many people were already aware.

"That's right!" he nodded. "But if you don't know, this feature is centred around our honorary fifth member, who is co-incidentally..."

"My best friend!!!" yelled out Louis, getting bored of having to keep quiet at the back whilst Liam made his introduction.

Liam went to cuff him playfully, not quite managing to get hold of him as Louis had foreseen it coming, and had run to the other side of the stage laughing uncontrollably.

"He's also my little brother!" Liam continued. "But apparently being Louis' best friend is more important.  Anyway, coming to us live from a secret location in Cheshire - it's my absolute pleasure to introduce you to our number one fan, and in some ways, the brains behind One Direction!  For a special live version of 'What  Did You Do Today Hazza!' - my little brother..."

"And my best friend!" Louis yelled out, unable to contain himself.

"HARRY!" Liam hollered, almost drowned out by the squeals echoing in his ears as Louis (helped by a technician), linked their Skype stream to the big screens at the back of the stage, and Harry's adorable, slightly chubby little face appeared, looking so excited, and yet so nervous at the same time, with a huge smile, yet slightly apprehensive wide and dazzling green eyes.

 

Harry's heart was racing.  He'd only done this less than ten times, and admittedly it had started off as an accident. 

Louis always called Harry at some point during the show.  Usually because he couldn't wait until the end to speak to him and check that his day went ok, and also because if Harry couldn't watch the whole show, he always liked to see the lads play his favourite song.  How could Louis deprive the boy of something that always brought him so much happiness?

On this particular night, Louis had called mid set, just as Harry was getting ready for bed, wrapped in a huge blue blanket from head to toe.

"Lou's not around," Louis told Harry regretfully, thinking of their good friend who styled them on a nightly basis, and seeing Zayn waving wildly to get his attention so he'd get back on stage, "I'm just gonna prop the phone up at the back ok?"

Harry nodded happily, but very sleepily.  He'd had a long day at school, and it was pretty late, but he would never admit to being so tired that he could barely keep his eyes open to experience the best part of his day.

Louis blew him a little kiss, before running to join a very impatient Zayn and Niall who were waiting for him to 'hurry the fuck up Tommo!'

Propping his phone up on a bit of staging, Louis gave his favourite boy a big wink, before running to grab his mic off Liam.  The music of Harry's song started up, and through bleary eyes, Harry watched Louis waving at the fans, that were desperate for just a split second of his undivided attention.

No one really knew what happened, how or why, and for almost a minute none of the singing boys noticed that the picture projected on the screens behind them, was not them, but of a sleepy and pale Harry, wrapped up in his blue blanket.

It wasn't until a group of girls in the front row had gotten Liam's attention, pointing wildly at the screen behind him, that the mistake had been noticed.  

"What did you do?!" Liam hissed loudly, grabbing Louis by the arm who had just started his solo and jerking him around, stopping mid line and gaping up at Harry's huge face who was now frowning at the screen, peering closer at the picture on his laptop and wondering what was going on.

"I don't know!" he stammered, breaking away from Liam and running to where he had left his phone.

"Harry, we gotta... erm... you're on the screen..."

"Oh no!" Harry squeaked, his high pitched voice booming through the theatre, "Can everyone..."

The music had stopped.  Liam, Zayn and Niall all did some individual quick thinking.

"So, we're having a minor technical glitch," Liam announced, striding to the front, after glaring at Louis, "so whilst we wait, let's see some of those banners!"

"I know him!" screamed a girl near to Niall. "You do those videos with him!"

A lightbulb moment suddenly clicked inside the Irish lad's head.

"Yes!" he shouted out enthusiastically. "As a special treat for you, for one night only!  A one off, live version of 'What have you done today Hazza!"

On the other end of the call, Harry sucked in a lung bursting breath, as he heard every word Niall had uttered.

"Everything's gonna be fine," Louis was muttering to him, pleading with Harry silently to get him out of this mess, "just a couple of seconds love.  You can do this!"

"Everyone wave to Harry!" Niall was shouting, Harry watched pale faced and heart racing as Louis turned the camera around so he could see hundreds of people waving frantically.  Despite his nerves he mustered a little wave, which was barely a fluttering of his fingers.

"Hi!" he barely managed to whisper, stuttering as he heard his own voice repeated back to him.  This felt horrific!

"Ok!" Niall elbowed Zayn to get him to help him hype the crowd up. "I know you can do better than that!  Everyone say hello to Harry!"

"Hello Harry!" roared the audience loudly, jumping up and down, waving frantically at the screen.

All the boys breathed a sigh of relief, but were still on edge.  Could they actually get away with this?  Each of them were getting some very funny looks from the crew from all angles... only time would tell.

"After three, we're all going to shout the question!" shouted Zayn into his mic. "One, two, three!"

"What did you do today Hazza!"

Harry's heart was pounding in his ears, he had little to no moisture in his mouth, and his brain had emptied of anything that made any sense at all.  It was one thing to make a short clip with Niall that was kinda rehearsed and planned, but it was another thing to do it live!  Live and unplanned!  His bright green eyes flickered over the huge audience, his brother and his friends - they were all waiting for him to say something, anything!

But then, his eyes fell on Louis.  The closest friend he had ever had, smiling that special, encouraging smile that was only ever produced especially for him, and a wash of calm swept over him.  He trusted Louis so much, and knew that the lad would never ever put him in a position where he would look stupid.  If he could do this for anyone, it would be for Louis Tomlinson.

 

Back in the present.  Harry swallowed his worries about what mistakes he could possibly make, and just went for it!

"Hello Cardiff!" he smiled unintentionally charmingly. "Are you having a good night?"

"He's really getting into this isn't he?" Liam commented to Louis, who could only be described as bursting with pride as he watched Harry place a fluffy red and white Christmas hat atop his curly head.

"Nice hat Hazza!" Louis called out encouragingly.  It wouldn't be obvious to anyone apart from him, because they were so close, but he could tell the younger lad was a little bit nervous.  

True to his belief, Harry seemed to relax, which would have been invisible to anyone apart from Louis, and smiled gratefully.  Harry could have been smiling at anyone, but Louis knew it was for him alone.

"So what have you been doing today?" Niall asked in his most exaggerated Irish accent. "Is the hat a little clue?"

Harry nodded, "I've been ..." he did a little drum roll on his lap, which was instantly followed by the boys and the crowd stamping their feet.  "Christmas shopping!" he revealed, "and I got Louis a present!" He waggled his eyebrows at the camera, eyes so bright with excitement, "want to see it?"

"Hell yeah!" Louis shouted into his mic, "I wanna see!"

He made grabby hands at the screen.  "Gimme!"

Harry looked so proud of himself as he reached off camera, and pulled a large wrapped box onto his lap.

"This is Louis' Christmas present," he told everyone, holding it up in front of him and turning it around so it could be seen at all angles, then pointing to a festive ribbon stuck on the side.

"It's even got a little bow on it," he confirmed showing it to the camera, "wrapped it myself!" he finished, clearly chuffed to bits.

"Wow, someone's a lucky boy!" Liam grinned, patting Louis on the back. "But Harry?  My smart and delightful little brother?  Is there maybe a little something for me back there?"

Harry put the present carefully to the side and made an awkward little face.

"Well... erm... I was concentrating more on family first!" he told his older brother cheekily, laughing at how comic Liam's mock outraged face was drawing positive reactions from the audience.

"Hey Hazza?" Louis called out mischievously. "You know it's my birthday  before Christmas right?  Got me a present for that?"

"It's your birthday before Christmas?" asked Harry in mock surprise.  "Why didn't you remind me sooner?  Or write it somewhere where I would see it?"

He reached off camera again, bringing back a large date calendar, where someone had scrawled _Louis Tomlinson's 20th Birthday_ in big Louis style letters with a red marker pen and about eight arrows pointing to 24th December.

"If only you had left me some kind of hint," Harry dead panned, not able to hold his serious face for long before cracking into a giddy grin.

The crowd laughed, even more when Louis pretended to buff his finger nails on his shoulder.

"So, Harry, now we've found out what you did today, how about you pick the next song we play?" Niall suggested, "Consider it payment for being such a cracking sport in joining us tonight!"

Louis' eyes had never left the screen, so he was the first one to have his face crinkle into the fondest smile, as he watched the sweet little face shine so brightly, bobbing his head with excitement.  This was something he'd never done before, and if he knew Harry at all (which was something he was proud to say, that he considered himself a wealth of Harry Styles knowledge.  He would even wager that he would even rival the lad himself on Mastermind), he would pick the first song Louis had ever written with him in mind.

Harry opened his mouth.  Louis waited.

"I'll be ok," he said confidently, which had Louis giving himself a mental high five as he mouthed the words at exactly the same time.

 

Just like all boys Harry's age, he had bad days.  

_When everything is going wrong, and things are just a little strange, it's been so long now, you've forgotten how to smile._

Sometimes his school work was too hard, the pressure of his exams and coursework was just too much.  He knew he wanted to get the best grades possible because then he would have so many options when he was applying for college, and later for university.  But right now he couldn't see himself passing anything.

_And overhead the skies are clear, but it still seems to rain on you, and your only friends all have better things to do._

Sometimes he got lonely, and wished his friends and brother were closer than a phone call away.  

As much as he was proud of the lads who the rest of the world knew as the all mighty One Direction, sometimes he missed it being just the five of them, messing about in his and Liam's family garage, or when it was just him and Louis - getting up to mischief by themselves.

 

Once upon a time, which seemed like an age ago now, Harry didn't have to worry about Louis' schedule if he wanted to hang out, or even just talk.  

They had lived next door to each other for all of Harry's life, bonded from the moment they met, and even though Louis was four years older than Harry, the age gap had never been an issue - at least not to them - and they had always been close.  

Harry missed the days when he could look out of his bedroom window, and right into Louis' room, which was directly opposite.  The window and room were still there of course, only Louis was hardly ever in it.

These days, it always felt like Harry was waiting.  

Waiting for Louis to finish recording, waiting for him to finish a photoshoot, waiting for a show to end.  Even when he was available, it would only be a phone call - which by their standards was a pretty shabby alternative to their proper one on one time.

Sometimes he felt envious of all the fun the boys were having without him.  The places they got to go to, the people they were able to meet, but mostly, because he couldn't be with them.  

Sometimes it felt as though the most important people in his life, who he looked up to and strived to be like, were constantly evolving, constantly growing, constantly learning and experiencing - and he was just Harry - getting left behind.

He disliked finding out everything _after_ it had happened, and it felt like he missed out on so much!

He hadn't been able to be there on the day Louis had presented as an alpha, because Louis and the lads had been in Sweden recording the band's debut album.

Presenting was a massive deal, something Harry had started to learn about (among other things) since it happened.

But once again, Harry had felt left out.  He hadn't even been allowed to the celebration party that had been thrown for him when the boys arrived home.  All because his mum said he was underage and it was deemed too grown up for him. She let Liam go... he had been underage too... Liam wouldn't have been eighteen for another three months, but that was fine... it was so unfair!! He hated being so much younger.  It was times like these when their age gap was so restricting.

_When you're down and lost, and you need a helping hand, when you're down and lost along the way, just tell yourself, ah, I'll be ok._

Because he could talk to Louis about anything and everything, Harry, had at some point shared all of his worries with the older lad.  Louis never told him he was being silly, or immature, and he always listened, making promises about weekends away and holidays that he always kept.

"Not long now love," Louis would always promise, "you'll be ok."

"Yeah," Harry would always reply, "I'll be ok."

"Keep telling yourself that," Louis would say seriously, "and if you need a reminder, call me."

_Now things are only getting worse and you need someone to take the blame, when your lovers gone there's no one to share the pain._

Harry always called.  Louis always answered.  They talked, they laughed, they made plans and it felt like it was back to normal.  

_You're sleeping with the TV on, and you're lying in an empty bed._

But then Louis had to go, and Harry was left alone again, trying not to cry into his cuddly hedgehog called Boo as he tried to fall asleep.

 

Liam and Niall got the crowd to say goodbye to Harry, who waved enthusiastically back.  It felt like it had gone well.

Louis knew the screen was going to switch back to their own faces at any moment, so he savoured seeing his past, present and future shining up there for all to see.

Louis was so proud of the lad his boy was growing up to be.

"Did I do ok?" Harry asked anxiously as Louis' face appeared on his screen, solely showing on the lad's phone.

"You were fantastic love!" Louis promised, "I'm so proud of you!  Was that really my Christmas present?" he couldn't help but add cheekily.

"Er... you gonna play my song or what?" Harry asked with the same amount of cheek that only Harry could get away with, "Not gonna sing itself!"

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" Louis countered. He should really get back on stage.  Niall only had a couple of seconds of talking left, but as always, when he got talking with his closest friend, he never wanted to say goodbye.

"Can't you prop me up somewhere?" Harry asked a little sleepily. "Might as well listen for a bit... beats sleeping with the TV on!"

Louis rolled his eyes, Harry smiled sweetly.

"I'll throw you a text when we get on the bus again," Louis promised him, knowing the lad would worry if he woke up and didn't know Louis had gotten "home" ok.

"Get your bum on stage!" Lou Teasdale urged, whipping Louis' phone out of his hand. "They can't keep waiting for you."

Louis blew a playful kiss to Harry.

"He'll fall asleep within the next song," he whispered to her, "just hang up on him when you hear snoring!"

Lou just sighed and gave the lad a big push.  It really did seem like the other lads in the band were constantly waiting for Louis.  

He was always late to bed because he was texting Harry, always dawdled onto the stage if he knew Harry was watching over Face Time, because as much as he wanted to perform, there was a big part of him that just wanted to talk to his best friend.  Then there was the fact that Lou always had to remind him to sit up straight when he was having his hair cut - because he was sat hunched over, nosing on Harry's social media profiles.

Sometimes it seemed that although Louis was having the time of his life with his three amazing friends, seeing the world and experiencing things that most people his age could only dream about - he was always counting down the days until he could go home and hang out with his best boy, just the two of them like it always had been.  

Sometimes Louis worried that if he was away for too long, Harry would move on and find a new best friend.  Someone who could help him with his homework, invite over to hang out with, someone to share his most intimate secrets with.

Sometimes he had to tell himself that he was going to be ok too.

_All the alcohol in the world could never help me to forget._

The rest of the show went as perfectly as always.  The crowd was especially loving and responsive as always, and a pleasure to perform to as they liked to muck about the same amount as the lads did on stage. 

"Love you, bye!" hollered Niall, always the last to bound off stage, joining his mates in sprinting to the exit where security had already organised the bus to pull up right outside, engine already running.

"That was sick!" Zayn stated obviously, all hyper from the enthusiasm of the encore, running a hand through his hair and heading straight for the kitchen. "Are we stopping for food or have we got shit here?"

Leaving Niall to plead with the driver to stop off at a drive through, Louis went straight to his bunk to retrieve his phone to text Harry.

_Show was sick! On the bus heading for KFC, but am gagging for one of your ham and cheese toasties.  Why is it when I make them they're burnt on the outside and uncooked in the middle?  But you make a culinary masterpiece?  Want one now please! xx_

He smiled to himself as he watched the text send, then debated between grabbing a quick shower whilst the others were distracted or... .

_Kitchen's closed ;) xx_

Harry's answering text bounced to his phone bringing the most gleeful smile to his face, fully making his decision for him, and cuddled down on his bed, carefully nudging a cuddly toy frog off his pillow.

_Lame excuse Curly.  Ps.  Miss you xx_

_Miss you too Boo.  Only six more sleeps! Xx_

_Why are you still awake?  You have school tomorrow and you'll complain when you remember you have double maths and science! xx_

_Memorising my timetable... creepy Lou... just creepy._

_No xx's?! It's what best mates do Hazza bear, gotta look out for you lad!  How about if I promise to go sleep now too, I'm in my bunk with Frog Face, so grab Boo and tuck down - you can thank me with a cheese and ham toastie when you get here! xx_

_You can't call him Frog Face.  That is not a name.  Ok, I'll try... sleep well Lou.  Love you xx_

_Love you too, sleep well love xx_

Louis knew Harry wouldn't text him back again that night, he had been very surprised he'd been awake at all - unless he had forced himself to keep his pretty little eyes open, just to receive Louis' goodnight text... this was Harry after all!

Louis pictured Harry, snuggled up in his tiny single bed, buried in his fluffy blue duvet just the top of his curly head sticking out.  Boo the hedgehog would be in his arms, held tightly to his chest, his nose probably rubbing against its plush forehead.

With that in mind, he plucked the toy frog from where it was laying against the wall and held it up, inspecting it from all angles.  It was a funny little thing, quite ugly to look at really, but Louis loved it, it came with him on every trip, slept with him every night, ever since the day it had become his.

When Louis was ten, and Harry was six, Louis had met Harry and Liam at the school gates, bursting excitement with the news that his class were going on a school trip and they were going to be staying away from home for "two whole nights!"

Louis was so excited, bouncing all the way home, too caught up in his own happiness that he didn't realise that Harry wasn't nearly as happy as he was, until he burst into uncontrollable tears when they reached the end of their road.

"What am I going to do without you?" Harry sobbed, fat tears tumbling down his pudgy cheeks, red in the face and looking as though Louis had told him that he was moving away and never coming back. "I'm going to miss you so much!  Won't you miss me?"

The realisation hit Louis suddenly.  He had been so excited about all the activities he was going to do whilst away, and staying with the other boys in actual dormitories like in the films he'd seen, he hadn't properly considered that Harry - his best friend of all his friends - couldn't come too.

"Don't be such a baby Harry," nine year old Liam scolded a little unkindly, a little jealous that his friend Louis would be going away on such a cool trip, "do you have to cry at everything?"

"I'm not a baby!" Harry screeched at the top of his lungs, shoving pathetically at his older brother, then breaking into a run on his short little legs, high tailing it to the back door and letting it slam behind him.

"That was mean!" Louis glared at Liam. "He's only little!"

"You're going to be away for three days!" Liam scowled back. "He's just being pathetic because he won't have anyone who will play with him after school or sit with him at lunch time, or walk home with him after school! He's such a stupid cry baby!"

"I am a much better brother than you are!" Louis grumbled. "Go and say you're sorry or you can't come to my birthday party!"

Liam's bottom lip trembled.  Louis' birthday wasn't for another seven months, but at their age this kind of threat was the worst possible kind.  Louis always had the most exciting birthdays - last year he'd had a Spider-Man theme with a man with actual tarantulas for the children to hold, and a cake with sugar that was spun to look like webbing!  It had been amazing!

"Don't want to say sorry," Liam said stubbornly, sticking his nose in the air and stalking off in the same direction that Harry had run. "Stop following me!" he snapped as Louis stamped behind him at his heels. "Go home Louis!"

"I'm going to stop Harry from crying," Louis told him, following him into the kitchen, "I'm his best friend!  And you know what?" he asked as he made for the stairs to search for the little boy, undoubtedly in his bedroom, "I'm going to miss him massively!  Does that make me a baby too?"

He didn't wait for Liam's reply.  Harry needed him right now.

Poor Harry was crying under his bed, too loud to be properly hidden.  Throwing his school bag into the corner of the room, Louis fell onto his tummy and wriggled under as well, scrabbling his way so that he and the younger boy were lying shoulder to shoulder.

Harry's face was bright red, wet with tears and his nose was running.

"I'm... I'm... sorry... ." Harry hiccuped, clutching hold of Louis' shirt with little fingers, "I'm... I've never been away from you before!  I'm going to be all alone!"

Louis let Harry cry, promising him that everything would be all right, that he wouldn't be away for long, but Harry was not convinced.  Who would he watch cartoons with after school?  Who would he sit with at break and share his snack with? 

"Harry?  Baby?  Where are you?" Anne Styles, Harry and Liam's mum called, coming into the room, and looking straight under the bed, not at all surprised to find both Harry and Louis wedged under there. "Do you still want to go to the fair tonight?"

It was because he was so young that Harry's mood had gone from one of utter heartbreak and despair to one of giddy glee, wriggling out and dragging Louis with him, throwing himself at his mum and giving her a huge hug.  

"Baby?  What's the matter?" Anne asked, upset as every mother would be to see the tear tracks on her youngest sons face, "Why have you been crying?"

"Louis' going away!" Harry's bottom lip started to wobble again. "For ages and ages!"

Anne hid a small smile, and shared a glance with Louis who was dutifully patting Harry's back, and making his tears subside into little sniffles.  He was so good with her baby, always had been, always would be.  She'd have to come up with some extra fun things to do whilst Louis was away to try and distract him.

Louis was sent home to change his clothes and collect his spending money from his mum.  Harry changed into his play clothes, but after seeing what Louis was wearing, ran back to his bedroom so he could put on a t-shirt which was almost a carbon copy of the older boys.  He loved it when they matched.

Liam refused to come with them - clearly still sulking over Louis and the birthday party threat.  It wasn't his fault that Harry was such a baby!

Harry held Louis' hand the whole way in the car, bouncing around in his seat.  He loved everything about it - he loved the pretty lights, he loved the smell of smoke and sweets in the air, he loved the rides and he loved playing with his best friend!

"Can we go in the fun house Lou?" he begged as he fell out of the car in his haste. "Can we go on the big slide?  Can we look at the toys?"

It was impossible to not look into Harry's ecstatic little face and not feel like he was six years old again too, and everything was incredible and exciting.  Harry dragged Louis from stall to stall exclaiming at everything before dashing off to the next one.  They went down the helter-skelter in a sack with Harry sat snuggly in Louis' lap, screaming with excitement the whole way down, then racing each other to the top four times in a row until Harry's legs were too tired to climb the steps again, so they took a break on a roundabout.

"Lou!  It's you!" Harry suddenly exclaimed running over to a hoopla stall. "Look at it!  How do we get it?"

Louis rolled his eyes.  Harry had gone through a stage when he was five when he was obsessed with Sonic the Hedgehog.  He adored the game, he wore Sonic pyjamas to bed, he only wanted to drink milk if it came in the special "Sonic" carton.      And at some point Harry had decided that if Louis was a superhero he would be Sonic, because they both wore red and white trainers, they both looked irritated if they were kept waiting, and when Louis smiled he did look like an actual hedgehog!

Louis nodded along with it, but he wasn't too impressed... it was hardly Spider-Man was it?!

At the fair, he followed Harry's gaze to a rather cute, very fluffy normal looking hedgehog cuddly toy.

"Please can you win it for me Lou?" begged Harry. "You can have my tickets!  I can pretend it's you and have him with me when you go away!  It can watch cartoons with me and have lunch with me!"

Behind them, Anne clasped a hand to her chest at how sweet her baby was, and how lovely Louis was with him.  All Harry had to say was 'please can you win it for me?' and Louis was already queuing up for hoops.

Ring toss was not one of Louis' strengths. He was rubbish, even with Harry calling encouragement to him, telling him how fantastic he thought he was, but try as he might, those stupid little rings did not go anywhere near the little stands.

"I'm out of tickets Haz," Louis finally told him after the last ring he had purchased had fallen down the back.  

Harry looked disappointed but he didn't want Louis to feel bad.

"I still love you Boo!" he smiled at him, wrapping his little arms around his middle, and drawing even a little smile from the stall owner.

"Love you too Haz." the older boy smiled down at him, then picked him up. "Want to go on the..."

"Are they your tickets?" the hoopla stall owner asked, pointing to Louis' feet, which the lad was sure were not his.

"Go again!  Go again!" Harry excitedly sang out, jumping out of his arms, and taking his position at Louis' side.

The owner gave Louis a little wink, then just as Louis was preparing to throw the hoop, pointed over Harry's shoulder and exclaimed loudly.

Young and innocent, Harry whirled around searching behind him, then turned back just as fast as he heard Louis yell out with happiness as he had finally managed to get a ring around a block - or rather, the hoop had been snatched out of his hand and dumped onto the nearest stand.

Harry's face was absolutely delighted, even more so when Louis finally handed him the large hedgehog which Harry promptly called Boo (after Louis' childhood nickname), and insisted on taking his 'back up Louis' on the big slide, and then to play 'Hook a Duck'.

Louis patiently watched with Anne as Harry talked to Boo, carefully deciding which duck they were going to aim for.  It was going to be the last game of the night, Harry was on his last ticket, and it was getting close to Harry's bedtime.  Finally deciding on a duck with a pink hat on it, Harry stuck his tongue out with concentration as he held the fishing rod between Boo's little paws, and dangled it towards the ducks hook.

"I got it!  I got it!" He squeaked in astonishment as he 'fished' the duck out of its little pond. "Look Lou!  Look mummy!"

Anne and Louis both prayed that there was a winning number on the bottom of it.  There wasn't.  But there was a small prize for 'hooking a duck'.  Harry was delighted! The owner presented him with a choice of an ugly looking cuddly toy frog, or an ugly looking cuddly toy chicken.  Harry chose the frog.

"I won it for you Lou!" he told him excitedly, "You can take him with you when you go away, and I can send him secret messages in my head so it will be like we're together!"

It was the ugliest toy Louis had ever seen, but it was given with such pure intentions that Louis couldn't even consider denying it.

The following month, Boo looked after Harry when Louis was away on his class trip, and the frog was packed in Louis' rucksack to take with him.  And maybe in the middle of the first night, when Louis was homesick, wishing he was in his own bed and knowing that his best friend wasn't sleeping just a few meters away, he might have got the frog out and cuddled it - just to make him feel more at home - and maybe the frog had gone everywhere with him ever since, for exactly the same reason.

 

"What are you doing?" Niall asked in amazement, stopping at his bunk to grab his own phone, and seeing Louis removing his t-shirt, hugging a toy frog and looking like he was bedding down for the night. "Are you going to sleep?"  He looked at his watch, "It's barely 11pm!"

"Just a bit tired mate," Louis stated, not feeling sleepy in the slightest, and squinting up at his band mate. "Don't wanna be tired for tomorrow."

Niall gave him a funny look.  Usually it was Louis who was the last to bed and scoffing at anyone who turned in at what he considered 'early'.  But then he caught sight of the phone clutched in Louis hand.

"Tell Haz we said goodnight," he told Louis pointedly. "He was on point tonight wasn't he?"

"Our lad did really," Louis agreed. "Was a good idea of yours.  It's nice we can actually get him involved with the show - I think he feels left out sometimes, I think this helps."

"How many sleeps?" Niall asked, grabbing a hoodie from his bed. "Six?"

Louis nodded.  Niall grinned.

"Cool," he commented, then took great pleasure in messing up Louis' hair.  "Sleep tight."

Louis carefully pulled his curtain across,  and then bedded down properly, putting his phone on charge.

Six days till he got his playmate back at his side.  

That was definitely cool.  More than cool.  It was going to be the best part of the tour so far!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter two!
> 
> Just wanted to say a huge, massive thank you to everyone who took the time to read the first chapter, and especially to all you lovely people who left kudos, commented and subscribed! The response was overwhelming and hopefully you will find this chapter just as agreeable.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it xxx
> 
> PS also on Twitter @sharemysunshine if you want to ask anything :)

 

Harry Aged 15,  Louis Aged 19

Caroline,  Harry

Alberto,  Louis

Eleanor

_'Cause when the minutes seem like hours and the hours seem like days, then a week goes by you know it takes my breath away, all the minutes in the world could never take your place, there's one-thousand-four-hundred-forty hours in my day._

Waking up on the morning of Harry's impending arrival Louis really did feel as though Christmas had come early.  The feeling was glorious, and only amplified by a new text message from an equally excited Harry:

_Only hours to go now Lou!  Hours! xx_

Usually Louis' daily wake up routine was pretty basic.  First his alarm clock would go off, which he would quickly put on 'snooze'.  Ten minutes later it would start up again, but for the second time Louis would fumble for the button to stop the obnoxious beeping.  Finally, Liam would intervene, shaking his shoulder, ignoring grumbling complaints about "unsociable hours", "cruelty to humans", and idle threats to the state of Liam's immediate health, until his eyes cracked open and Louis resigned himself to the fact that it was time to face the day.

This morning couldn't be more different.

Whistling loud enough to penetrate even Zayn's peaceful slumber, Louis sprang from his bunk, bright eyed and bushy tailed adopting a jaunty strut as he grabbed his wash bag, heading for the bathroom.

 

"So, it's finally Friday,"  Zayn muttered, propping himself up on one elbow to watch Louis' boxer covered rear end disappear from sight.  A soft chuckle reached his ears from the top bunk across the aisle.  Niall was mirroring his exact pose and threw Zayn a sleepy wink.

"Why can't every day be a Harry day?" Niall asked shaking his head, charmed by how blatantly excited their friend was.

"You say that now." Zayn yawned, "Wait until we've been stuck in a photoshoot with him all day.  He's gonna be bored, impatient and grumpy until our curly haired little cherub shows up!"

Niall shrugged, getting up himself for the sole purpose of heading to the kitchenette.

"It will be worth it," he stated, peeping through the curtain into Liam's bunk that was situated below his and giving him a gentle prod. "Larry Stylinson is the definition of happiness and contentment.  I can put up with Tommo if that's in the pipeline."

 

For the first few hours, Louis was the model group member.  He chatted excitedly over a mug of hot tea as his hair was washed and styled, followed instructions thrown at him by the photographer, and didn't even complain when he was asked to wear a few articles of clothing which he'd long lost the appeal for the style.  Harry was on his way.  Nothing else mattered.

It was in the final hour however, that he started to get noticeably fidgety.  Checking his watch over and over, pulling out his phone every two minutes, complaining that Zayn was ignoring his instructions on purpose just to prolong everything - which only made the slightly younger lad glare murderously at him and ruin a few perfectly prepared shots.

"Tell me your brother's en route?" he growled in Liam's ear as he watched his friend extract his phone from his pocket and begin replying to a text. "If he isn't here by sound check, I swear there will be one less group member to worry about!"

"Everything will be fine." Liam murmured, using the heel of his hand to push Zayn's face away from where he was breathing down his neck. "He's about ten minutes away."

"Ten minutes!" came Louis' excitable shout from the opposite side of the room.  He was stood next to two very irritated stylists and had been telling them that under no circumstance would he be wearing the bright red jeans they had selected for him and questioning exactly what they had been thinking.

Now, it was no longer an issue, as the thoughts of his best friend so close had him happily dropping his trousers and snatching said jeans from clenched fingers.

"You need to chill out," he told one of them, who was looking at him as though he was mad. "Where's my shirt then?"

A long sleeved black t-shirt was thrust at him which was pulled haphazardly over his head, messing up his perfectly styled hair in the process.

"You're a complete nightmare!" Lou groaned as she seamlessly produced a comb out of nowhere and flicking the fine strands back into their rightful place.  "I don't know how I put up with... ."

"Uh Louis?  You might want to head outside," Liam smirked as he indicated to the studio door with a nod of his head, "I think someone's just arrived and might want..."

Thundering footsteps and the slam of said door made everyone in the room stop exactly what they were doing as Louis bolted, his shout of delight echoing around the still room.

Letting the main door of the studio slam heavily behind him, Louis skidded to a halt, scanning the empty car park in dismay.  Was Liam really that cruel?  Was he really that unkind?  Would he really pretend that Harry was here when he blatantly wasn't?  Would he...

"LOU!"

The most welcome sound to his ears made Louis forget every uncharitable question he'd had about Liam's possible motives, running towards the shout before he had even fixated on exactly where it had come from!

His feet pushed off from the ground into a sprint, his slightly longer legs being able to cover that extra bit of ground, which was more of a struggle for Harry who was smaller and younger.

"HARRY!" Louis gasped, colliding into a flurry of wide open arms, not sure it was he who was pulling Harry into a hug, or himself being subjected to one.  

Bending his knees so he could let Harry bury his face into his neck at his own height, Harry fisting his t-shirt so tightly that they ended up staggering a few feet and had to prevent themselves from falling.

"Missed you so much!" Harry panted into Louis' collarbone, still hugging the older lad tightly, "Can't believe I'm finally here!"

"You're feeling ok, right?" Louis asked, wriggling his way out of the vice like grip to hold his little lad out in front of him, critically giving him the once over.

Harry rolled his eyes, rubbing his nose sweetly with the back of his hand.

"Don't fuss," he tried to pout through a smile.  It was part of their little routine when they met up after a long time apart.  Louis would try to make a big deal about Harry's health, whilst Harry pretended it was embarrassing and unnecessary.

Harry was always okay, and Louis knew that.  But he liked showing Harry how much he cared about his wellbeing, and Harry always glowed that little bit brighter at the gentle reminder of how important he was.

"Where's your bag?" Louis asked, peering around Harry to see if it had been dropped in the haste to get to his side.

"Dropped it off at the bus already," Harry explained as the two of them began walking back to the studio, Louis' arm slung around his shoulders. "Liam got Preston to meet me at the station.  Didn't you wonder exactly how I got here?"

Louis just grinned and shook his head.  He didn't care in the slightest exactly how Harry had reached him.  The important thing was that he had!

"I think we're about finished with the photos," Louis mused, pushing open the door that he had slammed shut only minutes beforehand.  "Got to get moving to the venue for the soundcheck."

Harry nodded happily, even more so when he was surrounded by Liam, Niall and finally Zayn who all wanted their share of welcome hugs.

"Thank fuck you're finally with us!" Zayn whispered in his ear as he pulled Harry close to him. "He's been a total nightmare! If anyone can stop him acting like a devil child it's you kid."

He grinned slyly at Harry as he left their embrace, only to have his position filled once again by a highly strung Louis, pressing his back against Harry's chest and taking it upon himself to wrap the lad's arms around his own waist.

"You do remember that there are two of us now?" Louis smirked at his mate.  "All my best tricks work better with two people.  You should watch yourself Malik!"

Zayn groaned.  He had forgotten that.  The mere presence of Harry finally being able to join their tour party had been such a relief to himself, Liam and Niall, that the implications of Louis' favourite playmate accompanying them had completely passed him by.

Harry and Louis were a duo, a twosome, a double act through and through.  If Harry wasn't such a sweet and timid lad, Zayn would call them partners in crime!

Unimpressed, Zayn watched as Harry stood on his tiptoes to hook his chin over Louis' shoulder and turn his face slightly to whisper in the older lad's ear - who let out a peel of joyful laughter.

"Great idea Haz!" he nodded naughtily. "But where are we going to get that much water?"

Zayn groaned, walking away from the spluttering laughter.  This could get old really fast!

 

"So, whilst we're on stage," Louis was explaining to Harry as they took a quick tour around the now empty arena, "you can stand in this special spot."

Louis took a needless running jump into the spot and spread his arms open.  "Usually this is where our parents and friends watch us from - and now you!"

Harry nodded excitedly, he had never been to this particular arena before - and although he had been to several of the others, and the viewing position had been more or less the same, it never lost the novelty of being a VIP guest.  Or as the rest of the boys jokingly called him; MIP - Most Important Person!

"Who else is going to be with me tonight?" Harry asked, looking around at the vastness of the arena and feeling his tummy swoop a little as he eyed the highest tier of seats.  Louis had often offered to take him up there to have a look, but the mere thought had been dizzying enough.  The people who had the guts to fill those seats had to love One Direction an obscene amount in order to stomach that height!

Louis looked thoughtful at the question.  He had been so focused on Harry being at the show, he hadn't given much thought or attention to anyone else.

His parents weren't going to be there, neither were Zayn's or Harry and Liam's... which to be honest was always complicated...

Anne's first relationship had been with a man called Des Styles.  They were "together" in school, and were convinced that they would be together forever... until distance of separate university's took its toll and they drifted apart.

One day when she least expected it, Anne stumbled upon Geoff Payne.  They had talked, laughed, found they had things in common.  

Two years later, Liam James Payne came into the world.  

Six months after his birth, Anne and Geoff mutually agreed that their relationship was no longer working, and Geoff moved out - promising his son that he would always love him and see him whenever his little lad wanted him to.  Geoff was a good father.  He kept his promise.

Seven months after she had ended her relationship, Des walked back into Anne's life after a chance meeting, as though he'd never left it, leading them to continue exactly how they had left off before they had separated to opposite ends of the UK.

Barely two years after they met for the second and final time, Liam gained a baby half brother; Harry Edward Styles.

Although their split was mutual and amicable, Anne and Geoff found it difficult to be around each other sometimes.  Both of them wanted to be there for Liam and support him, but Anne struggled because Des felt very jealous of their past relationship, and didn't want to be around her former lover.  He cared for Liam as much as he cared about his own biological son, only he felt he had more to prove because Liam wasn't actually his.

For this reason alone, Des and Geoff went to see the boys on separate nights, which suited everyone - including Liam.

 

"I don't think anyone has been especially invited, have they?" Louis called over to Niall. "Are your friends and family coming tonight?"

Niall shook his head as he concentrated on tuning his guitar.

"Think Caroline and Olly are coming," he frowned deep in thought. "I'm sure it's tonight."

"That's cool," Louis nodded, "you know both of them don't cha?" he asked Harry.  "Olly Murs and Caroline Flack did some presenting on The X Factor in our year."

Harry rolled his eyes.  Of course he remembered them.  He'd hung around with them in the green room whilst Louis and the rest of the boys had been on stage or rehearsing.

"You know Lou, I do follow other people," he mentioned casually. "I even have Olly's album, I watch Caroline on TV, I hung out with them every weekend for about ten weeks - and they both follow me on Twitter."

"Cool," Louis retorted without missing a beat.  "you'll have people to talk to then."

"Lou!" shouted a member of Modest Management from the stage.  "You'd better get ready.  Doors are about to open!"

Harry took one last look around the gigantic, empty arena before following his best friend towards the door that led them to the backstage area, having to pinch himself hard.  He still couldn't believe he was actually here!

"What are we doing about Harry's bit?" Niall asked as soon as the pair entered the dressing room. "Fancy a little live appearance?" he added with a cheeky smile. "Get on stage with us?"

Harry looked horrified.  Absolutely not!  Being on an actual stage in front of all of those eyes?

"Only messing Haz!" Niall chuckled at his expression. "Didn't think you'd be up for it.  We'll just chat to the audience a little bit more in your place."

Harry nodded happily.  That would be much better.  He wanted to actually watch the show, not be part of it.

"I'm gonna head out there," he told Louis ten minutes before the support act was due to start. "I really want to watch Jamie.  He's really talented."

"He is rather isn't he?" Liam piped up from where he was carefully choosing between three pairs of almost identical trainers. "We were lucky to get him.  I think he's going to be massive, that Jamie Lawson."

"Al?" Louis called over to his personal, big and burly security guard Alberto Alvarez. "Take Harry out will you?"

Alberto nodded.  Jumping out of his chair as he was summoned and motioning for Harry to follow him.

Just as Alberto opened the door, the click-clack of high heels sounded on the solid floor, heading their way.

Harry who had been looking at how huge Alberto's feet were, and wondering what size shoe he was, first saw the delicately heeled feet first step into the room, attached to the longest, slimmest legs he had ever seen on a girl.

The girl was dainty and delicate all over, wearing a short blue dress that could be mistaken for being painted onto her skin.  Her frame was slight, a cascade of silky waves flowing over her narrow shoulders.

"Louis!" she finally spoke, her voice so low and breathy Harry found himself straining to hear her and watched as she ignored everyone else in the room and sashayed over to his best friend, who for once had no emotion displayed on his face at all.  

Harry knew all of Louis' friends - they were pretty much the same ones that he had - but he didn't know this girl.  The realisation made him slightly uneasy, although he couldn't put his finger on the reason why.

"What the fuck is she doing here?"

Harry turned as he heard Zayn hiss under his breath to Niall and Liam, surprised and feeling even more apprehensive at the daggers he was glaring at the girl's back as she unashamedly hugged Louis.

"Three guesses," Niall muttered back, his usually glowing smile a distant memory as his eyes narrowed somewhat dangerously, whilst Liam shuffled uncomfortably next to them.

"Fuck's sake!" Zayn snarled a little louder, although you could tell he was trying his hardest to keep quiet.  "She can't just fucking show up like this!  She's going to ruin Louis' night!  We've got a show, Harry's here!"

Harry wrinkled his nose in confusion as he glanced between the boys and Louis, who had been pulled into a corner of the room and listening as the girl whispered in his ear.  

Hands stuffed deep in his pockets, Louis was staring at the floor with a blank expression, nodding every so often, then shook his head - silent yet animated.  The girl lifted her pretty face and rolled her big brown eyes.

"I'll be out front," Harry heard her say. "I'll be waiting for you."

Pressing a soft kiss to Louis' cheek, the beauty flashed a gentle smile at Harry, fluttered her fingers at the other boys, then trotted back out of the door she had just walked through.

Harry took a step towards Louis, but stopped.  All of a sudden, his best friend looked awfully flustered, pacing a few steps back and forward, rubbing his face with his hand.

"Preston?" he asked suddenly, looking around to where another member of their security team was awaiting instructions. "Can you take Harry out?  Now."

Alberto, who had obviously been watching the strange exchange himself, stepped to the side, allowing Preston to take his place next to the door, watching Harry expectedly.

"Lou?" Harry found himself stuttering.  There was an inexplicable lump clawing at his insides that was making him nervous. "Are you all right?"

Louis didn't look alright.  Distracted and deep in thought he was continuously running his fingers through his hair. 

"Lou?" Harry tried again, a little louder this time.  This was new.  He had never had to repeat himself whilst speaking to Louis before.

"Haz you're going to miss Jamie if you don't go with Preston now." Liam's voice sounded in his ear, gentle hands pushing him towards the door.  Still Louis didn't look up, but started to rub the back of his neck.

"Come on mate," Preston urged, taking hold of Harry's shoulder. "Show's starting."

Louis finally acknowledged Harry, eyes wide as he looked up at him for the first time in what felt like hours.

"Shit, Harry!" he exclaimed, striding over and giving him a hug. "You should get out there!  Have an amazing time, and I'll see you later."

"But... who was..."

Harry had no time to even finish his question as Preston pulled him out of the room, only managing to get the smallest glimpse of Louis and Alberto talking in low tones, with the rest of the boys dashing over to join them, before the door was slammed shut behind him.

Why did he feel as though he was missing something important?

 

The atmosphere in the arena was electric.  Banners waving high in the air, flashing headbands creating dots of lights all over the arena and screaming girls were all over the place.  It would have been impossible not to get caught up in the excitement and anticipation.

Olly and Caroline were already there, chatting to people in their immediate area and taking photos.

Next to them, sitting low in a chair and tapping on her mobile, was that girl again.  Who was she?  Why was she here?  She didn't look like she was interested in being in attendance at all.

"Over here Harry," Preston told him, smartly leading them towards the other VIP guests.

"Preston?  Who is that girl?" Harry asked, seizing his chance. "Haven't met her before."

Preston looked thoughtfully at the brunette and screwed his face up as though he was thinking hard.

"Friend of Louis'," he replied uncertainly.  "She's either Eleanor, or Charlotte... or it could be Emily." He laughed.  "You would think I could tell all these girls apart by now wouldn't you!  Louis' got so many female _friends_ that it's hard to tell the difference sometimes!" 

Harry frowned.  There was a slight note of sarcasm in how the word 'friends' had been pronounced.  He wanted to ask more, but Preston smartly clapped him on the back and strode backstage once more, leaving Harry staring at the strange girl, standing awkwardly on his own.

It was Caroline who had spotted him first, getting to her feet and approaching him, beaming a fond greeting and holding her arms open wide for a hug.

"Lovely to see you again Harry!" she smiled, pulling him towards Olly "Looks like we're in for quite a night aren't we?"

"Yeah... I think we are," Harry muttered, trying his best to regain the enthusiasm he'd been feeling for the past few weeks, still staring at the girl who was now playing a game on her phone and looking bored.

Jamie Lawson was amazing, so incredible to watch and so captivating that Harry almost forgot his worries as he was swept away by the haunting acoustics and beautiful lyrics.

The interval came.  Harry wanted to go backstage and talk to Louis, but Olly and Caroline stuck to him like glue, chatting about what they were getting up to at the moment, and things they had done since they had last seen each other.  Harry listened, or tried to follow, but once again his attention had been pulled towards the girl who was irritating him so much more than she should be.

Why had Louis never mentioned her?  Or any of these other girls who Preston had mentioned?  Louis told Harry everything!  But not this.  Why not?

At last One Direction hit the stage. The lights dimmed, the crowd screamed, the boys shouted out in greeting as they ran out from the wings to launch into their first of many hits.

Harry, as usual was absolutely captivated.  He'd met Louis' eyes from the moment that he'd stepped into the spotlight, the older lad actively searching for him.  As much as Louis had over fifty thousand adoring fans to perform to - he was mainly singing to just Harry.

The set lasted for just under two hours, Harry loving every second of it as he jumped about until his feet were sore and his throat ached from singing along with every note.  He was so caught up in the atmosphere that he had even forgotten the girl he had such an unnecessary dislike for was even in the room.

Until the final song of the encore.

The finale was an extravagant affair, carefully crafted with pyrotechnics, live violinists and a dizzying amount of flashing laser beams that only enhanced the energy and passion of the final song.

It had always been one of Harry's favourites - from the moment he first heard it - and One Direction never failed to do it justice.

Until tonight.

Harry had been jumping around with the rest of the crowd when he noticed that for no reason, after inhaling a deep breath to go into the next high energy verse, Louis had stopped - standing completely still, staring in his direction with a slightly crazed gleam in his eyes.

The concerned frown deepened on Harry's forehead.  He was staring right back at Louis, their eyes had locked together, but in his peripheral vision he could see Zayn and Liam moving in, trying to look as natural as possible.

With a flick of his wrist, Liam's hand shot out, grabbing the wire attached to Louis' mic pack and disconnected it.  Still singing and performing to the audience as though nothing out of the ordinary was going on.

Rigid and as still as a statue, Louis shivered violently, dropping his microphone in the process, a silent snarl curling his lips as he poised ready to pounce, at him?  At Harry?

Or maybe not.  The brunette who had pretty much ignored the band the whole evening was on the move, leaning on the barrier in front of her and gazing upwards... at Louis!

"Fuck!" Harry heard Olly hiss at Caroline. "Look at Louis!  Poor kid, imagine getting into rut in front of this crowd!"

Rut?  Harry tried in vain to search his memory.  He vaguely remembered something about ruts in the alpha section of the books and leaflets that Louis kept leaving around for him, but they weren't doing any good being in his bedroom now. Should he ask Olly?

But there was no time.  The chorus had finished and Niall surged forward to the front of the stage with the bands lead and bass guitarist, charging into their own spotlight, the majority of the stage plunging into darkness, hiding from view how swiftly Zayn dived across the stage, grabbing Louis in a tight headlock, dragging the kicking and struggling lad into the wings - just as that girl slung her tiny handbag over her shoulder and strutted off towards where Alberto was guarding the door without a care in the world.

His heart slamming fast against the front of his chest, Harry ran for the same door that would take him backstage - Caroline hot on his heels - expecting Alberto to swing the door open just like he had done for the brunette.

"Sorry Haz.  No admittance," Alberto stated, moving his entire body in front of the door.

"You just let someone in!" Harry gaped incredulously, eyes wide with astonishment.  "Louis' sick and he needs me!"

"You can't do anything to help him Harry," Alberto sighed in his professional, most neutral tone. "Once Eleanor and Louis have vacated the building, you can go backstage."

"Eleanor?" Harry's voice had adapted a slightly hysterical whine. "Why her?  Where is she taking Lou?"

Alberto flat out ignored him, listening intently to whatever was being said into his ear piece.

It was evident that the boy had no idea what was happening, frantic with worry because he was so concerned that his best friend was ill - not realising that he was only witnessing a natural part of being an alpha.

Caroline's heart went out to him, taking his hand in hers and getting right in his eye line only wanting to calm the frantic darting of his eyes.

"Harry?  Don't worry.  Louis is going to be absolutely fine." Caroline's soothing words dripped off her tongue, almost hissing as they engulfed Harry's frazzled nerves. "Al?" she tried to reason with the security guard who did not look like he was going to budge any time soon.  "He's only young, he doesn't know what's going on and he's upset.  Let him be with his friends and his brother."

"Caggs!  Louis gave me strict instructions," Alberto whispered out of the side of his mouth. "Let El in, keep H out.  The rest of the boys know he's with me - they'll come and get him when they're ready for him."

Caroline glared at Alberto, took Harry securely by the crook of his arm, pulling him back into the arena which by now was mostly empty.

"Do not worry Harry," she told him through clenched teeth, "I'm going to call... Harry!  Where're you going?"

Harry had broken free from her helping hand and bolted towards the empty stage, clearing the first barrier as easy as a hurdle in athletics, scrambling on top of the stage and running to the back, trying to work out how to get through the screen - he needed to get backstage, he needed to get to Louis!

Poor Harry didn't even realise he was crying until an member of the arenas security staff hauled him down, frog marching him back to Alberto - who glared at him as though he was the biggest pest he'd ever met, and Caroline who fawned over his tear stained cheeks and trembling lower lip.

The large dressing room backstage seemed a very different place to how it had been earlier.  

Tired and sweaty, Liam, Niall and Zayn sat in a tight circle urgently whispering to each other.

Louis was nowhere in sight.

"All I'm saying is that he needs to be more careful," Liam was stating.  "I know mistakes can't be helped, but it's not like we don't have warning about these things. If he had just put it on the calendar then this date wouldn't have been booked.  We all manage it!"

"I still think it was her," Niall muttered.  "Never liked her.  She probably just jumped schedule and fancied a little something!"

"What are we going to say to Hazza?" asked Zayn almost lazily. "Lou could be gone for days..."

"What?" Harry squeaked, making all three boys jump out of their skin.  "Why that long?  What's wrong with him?"

"He's just having his rut mate," Niall leapt to explain, suddenly dreadfully concerned with how upset Harry was - eyes and nose streaming, clutching hold of Caroline's arm for support.  "Nothing to be concerned about.  We all do it.  We all come out fine."

Harry was not at all comforted.  He felt confused, lost and stupid because he didn't understand what was happening.

"Mate.  I think it would be best if you went home," Liam said, getting to his feet and looking sympathetic.  "We've got to spend all night trying to work out how to do the show without Louis, and how to explain this mess he's gotten into.  You'll just be in the way Haz.  As soon as he's back, we'll get him to call you."

Harry whined in helplessness, Caroline hissed with indignation on Harry's behalf, Niall and Zayn both shared ominous expressions.  That was harsh of Liam!

"I only just got here!" Harry exclaimed, a hiccup interrupting his own tears. "I am not going home!"

"Go to the bus then," Liam snapped at him, misdirecting his irritation at Louis onto his younger brother.

"Tell you what," Caroline cut in, feeling so bad for poor Harry. "You boys talk all you want, Harry can come and stay at mine until Louis is back." She glared at Liam crossly.  "You're his brother!" she said in a scolding tone. "You should be comforting him.  Not sending him away!"

Liam retorted, but Harry was deaf to all of his surroundings.  He'd spotted Louis' rucksack - sitting on the floor exactly how he had left it - a sad little green arm belonging to Frog Face sticking out from a pocket.

Wiping his eyes on the back of his hand, Harry grabbed Louis' bag and picked up his coat.  The others would probably forget it and leave it here.  

"Let's go," he whispered to Caroline, still feeling embarrassed and hurt by his brothers rejection.

 

Caroline had a nice flat, big and spacious with pine and cream interior.  

"Make yourself at home, sweet," the maternal blonde insisted, trying to extract Louis' backpack from his tight grasp, but giving up almost immediately when he held it closer to his chest.  "How about a nice cuppa?" she asked. "Then you and I can have a little chat.  You have some questions, yes?"

Harry nodded.  He had a lot of questions.  No one was giving him any answers!  No one apart from Caroline seemed to care about how much this concerned him.

A mug of hot tea in his hand, Harry mirrored Caroline as they sat at opposite ends of the settee.

"Ok.  So first of all.  What happened tonight is nothing for you to worry about.  I can promise you, nothing is wrong with Louis.  You don't know much about ruts do you sweet?"

Harry shook his head.  There was that word again.  He still didn't know what it meant.

"First of all, Louis' an alpha - as are the rest of the boys, and... myself," Caroline began with matter-of-fact.  "I'm guessing that the girl he's with tonight is an omega - and judging by his reaction to her, she's in heat, and what you saw tonight was him reacting to it.  I think she's one of his regulars.  I've seen her a few times before."

Harry shrank back into the cushions.  He didn't like where this was going at all.

"I'm going to put on a video," Caroline told him kindly, seeing his discomfort and absorbing it.  "It might explain things a little bit better than me."

Harry watched as Caroline smiled at him softly and left the room, coming back moments later with a DVD.

It was so embarrassing!  Sitting on that settee, curling in on himself as he cringed through the entire thing.

First there was an explanation on what an alpha was, fixating on how big their genitalia was, how they possessed a knot which increased the likelihood of impregnation, how a rut is triggered and exactly what is needed to satisfy it.  

The explanation was clear - Louis was having sex with that omega Eleanor, right now.  Louis was having sex.  He had become sexually aroused by Eleanor and he wouldn't have been satisfied unless he... Harry shuddered, he hated the thought of her hands all over his best friends body!

"Preston said he had a lot of friends who are girls," Harry mumbled, having to clear his throat several times before he could get the whole sentence out.  "They said an alpha can have multiple omega partners.  Is that what Lou has?"

His eyes didn't leave the screen.  They had begun to discuss the concept of an omega - something he knew a lot about already, Louis had been adamant for some time that he knew as much as he could know about 'being an omega'.

"From what I've heard.  Louis is pretty... varied when it comes to his ruts." Caroline told him slowly.  "It's pretty common for alphas who aren't keen on settling down."

"But... the alphas they are describing on there," Harry whispered, wide eyed and feeling a sense of loss.  "The people they are talking about on there.  They don't sound like Lou and the others at all!  They don't sound like you!  Do you get like that?"

Caroline blushed and rubbed her nose.

"I might have.  Well... yes.  On a few occasions."

"Do you think he's knotting her right now? Will he get back and tell me he's going to have a baby?"

"Louis?" Caroline laughed honestly, "No sweet.  He's not going to impregnate anyone.  Not until he's settled down - and I don't think that would be for a while!  I mean, he's been sexually active for some time now and no babies or mating has occurred yet has it?"

Harry looked positively sick at the suggestion.

"Why didn't he tell me?" Harry muttered.  The DVD was spouting about betas.  "I didn't know any of this.  We tell each other everything.  He always told me how precious your virginity is... but he... he can't be in love with any of them!"

"Maybe it's because of how he lost his?" Caroline suggested, stretching out a hand to stroke Harry's bent knee.  "Maybe he wants to make sure that you have the perfect first time that he didn't have.  I know what it's like Harry.  One moment you are just being you, going about your day, the next, something powerful surges through you.  Something that you can't control.  This unquenchable thirst for that particular person..."

Caroline trailed off, a distant look in her eyes.

"But why didn't he tell me?" Harry demanded.  He was getting angry and upset now.  This was a huge part of what made up Louis.  A massive part of Louis' world that he had chosen not to share with the person closest to him.

"You're very young Harry," Caroline reminded him gently, caressing his knee, "You're still in limbo until you present.  Maybe he didn't want to scare you with the facts until you do."

"I'm not that young!" Harry huffed, moving his leg and dislodging Caroline's hand.  "I'm almost sixteen!  Louis' been teaching me about omegas for about two years now - ever since he presented as an alpha to be exact!"

Caroline stifled a small smile.

"How would you feel about being an omega?"

Harry shrugged.

"Never given it much thought." he muttered noncommittally.  "I guess." he paused.  "I guess I'd prefer to be an omega opposed to being an alpha."  He turned to Caroline a little more intimately. "I like the idea of having a baby one day," he confided.  "Carrying it, giving birth to a little life that's a part of me and a part of my mate - whoever that will be."

Caroline smiled, using her index finger to stroke his cheek gently.

"You would make a lovely omega," she breathed, her beautiful eyes darkening at the thought.  "If only you were a few years older.  You'll make beautiful babies Harry."

Although there was an obvious spark of attraction for Caroline, Harry didn't notice or feel it himself.  All he could think about was Louis, and the revelations about his life which he wished with every fibre in his body that he was still oblivious to.  Ignorance was indeed bliss.

Caroline left Harry shortly afterwards to fall asleep, cuddling Frog Face close to his chest, snuggled under a blanket on the settee, watching the moon and the stars through the window pane, imagining that somewhere out there Louis would be looking at them too, thinking of him.  Not the bitch next to him in his bed!

 

Early evening the next day, Harry got the phone call from Liam that he had been waiting for.  The first part had been a long and rambled apology, which Harry brushed off immediately.  He knew Liam hadn't meant to sound that cruel towards him.  The most important part of the call was the information that Louis was back in touch and that he would be back for the show that night.

"Do you want to come?" Liam asked him hesitantly. "Lou would love to see you there.  He's really sorry Haz."

"Um... I don't think I want to be there," Harry muttered, scratching his head and almost disbelieving he was saying these words.  "Can I stay on the bus?"

"Sure mate.  Whatever you want," Liam was tripping over himself to make it up to his little brother.  "We'll get you some food in, there's a TV and stuff in the back.  You can even have Caroline over if you want company.  Did you have a good time last night?"

"It was informative," Harry concluded after a couple of seconds of silence.  "I know what's going on now.  It wasn't what I was expecting to be honest."

"We should have had the talk shouldn't we?" Liam sighed shamefully. "I'm so sorry H."

Harry shrugged, smiling gratefully at Caroline who had appeared at the doorway to the living room with two mugs of tea.

"It wasn't you I wanted the talk with," he reassured his older brother.  "But Li?  About Louis?  He has a reputation doesn't he?  With omegas?"

Harry could almost hear Liam's face fall.

"Yes mate.  He does.  But that doesn't change anything really.  Not for you.  You still matter to him more than anyone else.  He's really not a bad lad.  It's just his way I guess."

"Li?  Are the rest of you like that?"

"Well... Haz..."

"You know what?  You told me more than I needed to know," Harry faked a cheery voice.  "I'll see you tonight.  Have a great show!"

"Won't be the same without you little brother."

Seconds later Harry and Liam said goodbye and ended the phone call.

 

"You look happier." Caroline stated with a smile, offering him a mug with a large duck on it.  "Does this mean I have to let you go now?" 

Harry accepted the tea with thanks.

"Yeah.  Thank you though.  You have no idea how much I appreciate you for last night.  You were really kind to me."

Caroline felt a little flustered.  It never failed to amaze her how sweet and lovely this boy was - if only he was a little bit older, or she was a little bit younger!

 

Caroline drove Harry to where Liam had texted to say where the bus would be.  There had been no text message from Louis - but it wasn't something that concerned Harry a great deal.  He and Louis did text a lot, but for serious things like this Louis wouldn't want to say things via a digital message.  He would want to say them in person.  It was how they did things.

Harry put Louis' rucksack away neatly before making his way to the back of the bus where the 'living room' was. You could tell how successful One Direction were by how big the tour bus was - and this one was huge!

Flicking on the TV for some background noise, Harry doodled in and on his journal for some time, listening to the driver and one of the security team prowling around the bus.

When it got to the time that the show was about to finish, Harry put his things away, making his way to the bunk beds and slipping into the one that he knew belonged to Louis - there was no question that they would be sharing, they always shared.  Besides, someone needed to put Frog Face back in his rightful spot.

 

Time ticked by as Harry cuddled under the covers, knowing that very soon he would be coming face to face with Louis.  He hoped with every fibre in his body that they would be ok, that nothing would have changed between them, but Harry knew things now.  Things he hadn't even considered before, and the longer he lay there, the deeper he thought about these girls, and Eleanor, the more confused and upset he became that Louis hadn't mentioned them to him.

It all boiled down to the same question.  What more was Louis keeping from him?

 

Harry's breath hitched as a cold body slipped under the covers behind him, two strong arms slipping around his torso, chilly fingers splaying across his bare chest.  He felt Louis gently nose between the hairs on the back of his neck, warm breath where gentle lips pressed the softest of kisses between his shoulder blades.  Just as simple as that, all the animosity he'd been building inside disappeared as easily as it was for him to exhale the breath he had been holding.

"I'm so sorry Harry," Louis murmured, realising instantly that his friend was awake.  "Are you ok?"

"Are you?"

Harry turned around in Louis' arms, coming face to face with guilty blue eyes and a stubble covered chin.  He had been so angry with Louis for keeping this from him, but he could never hold onto any negative feelings when the lad was actually with him.  He had never been able to.  It felt like some kind of witch craft.

Louis wrinkled his nose and nodded slowly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked Harry gently, stroking the boys bare back with the tips of his fingers whilst tangling their legs together under the covers.

Harry grimaced.

"I really don't want to discuss your sex life Lou.  That's your business.  I just want to know why you didn't tell me about them."

Louis looked mortified.  Harry had never been the type for straight talking.  He didn't even think he had heard the boy saying the word sex without blushing before.

"It's ok," Harry insisted, shuffling down the bed a little and getting his face comfortable against Louis' chest.  "Caroline explained it all to me," he shuddered.  "She even used video footage!"

"What?" 

Louis' eyebrows shot upwards, tilting Harry's face up towards his with his hand.

"Caroline Flack?  What did Caroline show you?" he demanded, thinking of the worst.  "Why were you even with her?  When were you with her?"

Harry sighed in an annoyed fashion.

"Well after you got dragged off stage and that girl Eleanor was allowed to see you and I wasn't.  Liam wanted to send me home, so he and the others could talk about what was going on with you and that... bitch... girl.  Apparently I am too young to be included.  I refused, so Caroline said I could stay at hers.  I had questions.  She answered them.  Things you should have already talked to me about."

Louis groaned out loud.  Harry looked and sounded so hurt and betrayed.  It made his heart ache.

"We can talk about it now if you want?" he offered cautiously. "I'm so sorry, but it's complicated, and... you are still so young..."

"Fifteen Louis!  I'm fifteen!" Harry hissed, reddening with embarrassment. "Soon I'm going to be sixteen.  It's not my fault they don't do very good sex education at my school!  But now, thanks to Caroline I know exactly what a rut is!  Something you should have told me about!  I thought something horrible was happening to you!"

"Harry, I'm sorry!" Louis groaned helplessly, hating how the closest friend in the world was looking at him with such disappointment. "I honestly forgot the dates.  If Eleanor hadn't..."

"How many more of them?" Harry asked wildly. "Actually, don't tell me.  I don't want to know about your sex life - which according to Preston, Caroline and Liam, it's pretty varied!  I'm supposed to be your best friend and I didn't even know these girls existed!"

Louis swallowed trying to calm himself down and stop the fear he was feeling from transferring to Harry.  This was his best friend.  Out of everyone in the whole world, he was the only one who deserved to know the truth.

"Maybe you should know about it," Louis told him quietly, searching the sad face staring back at him. "Please Harry?"

Curls hit him in the face as the boy adamantly shook his head.

"No!" Harry exclaimed.  "What have you been saying all these years?  About how important a person's virginity is?  About how..."

"It's the most sacred thing you can give to someone and you should wait to find the right person," Louis uttered slowly, repeating the same words he'd said to a Harry so many times.  "But Harry it..."

"You don't even have a partner!" Harry protested hotly.  "If you had found someone special you would have told me!  So what?  You just gave it away like it was nothing?  After all you have ever said to me?  Who was it?"

Harry shuffled away from Louis and glared at him.

"Please tell me it wasn't Eleanor!"

Louis shook his head hard.

"No!  She's just a friend!  I promise Hazza, I..."

"I don't want to know who," Harry insisted, moving closer to Louis, not being able to stand being out of his comforting embrace even when he was mad at him. "I'm just upset that you kept something this huge from me."

"But I..." Louis protested clutching at the boy who was trembling softly in his arms.  "Harry, love, just listen to me!"

"I know it's not your fault,"  Harry whispered, instantly remorseful for judging Louis and his actions so brutally, forgetting in his upset about what Caroline had suggested - that Louis could have been embarrassed and upset by the way he had lost his virginity - rubbing his cheek against Louis' chest. "The video Caroline showed me.  It was an educational one about alphas, betas and omegas.  Said it was all instinct, need and want, and that when you get into rut you can't help yourself.  I get it Lou.  I promise.  I'm just... I don't like how someone has been closer to you than I am... that someone knows a part of you that I will never know." 

Harry lifted his face and leant up on his elbow, taking Louis' face between his palms and thumbing at the older alpha's cheeks.

"I knew one day that you would meet someone and we wouldn't be as close anymore," he told Louis sadly. "I just wasn't ready for it to be this soon... or this many of them."

Louis' face fell with the weight of Harry's words.

"No one on this Earth is more important to me than you are," he insisted pulling Harry into his arms and squeezing him tightly.  "No one will be closer to me than you are!"

A quivering voice sounded muffled against his skin.

"But somebody has been haven't they?  It's ok Lou.  I'm not going to let this change us.  You're still my best friend and I still love you."

"I love you too Harry.  So much," Louis murmured brushing his lips against Harry's forehead, wondering if Harry was able to press himself any closer to him than he already was without actually climbing inside his skin. "Please let me explain?"

Harry shook his head tiredly.

"I preferred it when I was too young," he confessed.  "It was a simpler life."

"Harry, please..."

"Lou?" Harry pulled away from him yet again, a deep intensity in his young green eyes.  "I'm really sorry that it wasn't special for you.  I know how important it was to you, and I'm sorry it ended up being someone who didn't even deserve you.  I promise Lou, I promise I'll wait until I'm absolutely certain.  Until I love someone as much... well," Harry paused before leaning forward and hiding his face in Louis' neck, "until I love someone half as much as I love you.  I'll always love you the most," he added, then yawned widely.  "Tired," he mumbled.  "Sleep now?"

Louis watched as Harry yawned again, signalling the end of their conversation, which was no where near as satisfactory as Louis wished it would have been.  The younger lad snuggled up into his sleepy position, rolling over onto his other side, gripping Louis' wrist, making sure the older lad's arm was wrapped securely around him.  Harry loved being the little spoon.

There was so much Louis wanted to say.  So much he wanted to tell Harry, but as the younger boy started to make contented little snuffles as he drifted off to sleep, Louis realised he was too late.  The moment had passed - all that remained were the torturous thoughts of 'what if'?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter three!  
> Once again, thank you so much for all the support for the last chapter and all your lovely comments, kudos and the unbelievable amount of subscriptions.  
> Thank you soooo much!  
> Hope you enjoy this instalment :) xxx

"Put that down, step away, and I promise I won't hurt you," Zayn warned Louis, stopping in his tracks when he realised what the slightly older alpha was on the brink of doing.  "I don't know why you are even in here unattended!"

Louis turned around from the small counter top and glared in his mates direction.

"Rude!" he exclaimed, watching as Zayn's mouth twisted into a friendly smirk.  "Since when have I not been trusted to make toast?"

"Since everyone who has ever been subjected to eating it attended a meeting and voted that you should not be allowed to ever be involved in food preparation," Zayn retorted cheerfully, sliding along the bench at the kitchenette table to sit next to the window.

"Harry loves my toast," Louis sniffed, sticking his nose in the air as he proceeded to continue buttering two slices of bread before putting them into the toaster.

Zayn grimaced.  "Butter goes on after it's toasted bro." 

Louis opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it as a faint waft of burning tickled his nostrils.  Instead he subtly switched the toaster off at the plug, pulling a bowl out of the nearest cupboard and reaching for the cereal box.

"Are you sure you can manage that?" Zayn asked dryly sitting sideways and putting his feet up.

"Manage what?" Harry asked sleepily, appearing in the doorway, dressed in a big and baggy black t-shirt.  He plopped down on the bench next to Zayn, letting the older alpha rest his feet in his lap.

"Lou was trying to..." Zayn started to explain, but Louis hurriedly cut him off.

"Just making you breakfast love.  Wanna grab a shower before the other lads steal all the hot water?  Do you want tea or coffee?"

Harry, yawning widely, gave him a suspicious glance, but he nodded agreeably and requested tea, shuffling back through the bus towards the bathroom.

"Is he ok?" Zayn asked quietly, watching as Louis fussed with the kettle, referring to the previous evening when Louis had returned to the bus after his ill-timed rut to his very hurt and confused best friend Harry.

It hadn't been the rut specifically which had upset the younger lad.  It was the secrets that he had found out related to the situation which had come as a shock.  These had led to a rather unsatisfactory conversation because Harry refused point blank to listen to what Louis wanted to tell him.  

It was also awarkward because as much as Liam, Niall and Zayn had tried not to listen, they couldn't help but hear snatches of the conversation from being in such close proximity.

"Seemed like a tough conversation," Zayn pressed when Louis filled the kettle and began to whistle, possibly pretending that he hadn't heard his mate's question. 

Rolling his eyes, Zayn got up to join him at the counter, removing the two slices of bread from the toaster, discarding them into the bin, and picking out two fresh pieces.  He could do nothing to make the situation any better, but he could help Louis make Harry a nice breakfast - he wouldn't even mind pretending that Louis had actually done it himself!

"Lou?" Zayn flicked the back of his ear to get his attention.

"He's fine," Louis shrugged, sounding as chipper as ever, but Zayn had known him long enough to know how unconvinced his mate actually sounded.

"He was bound to find out sooner or later," Zayn continued sympathetically.  "Just bad timing eh?"

Louis nodded shamefaced.  "I should have talked to him before, I just didn't... think."

"All finished!" announced Harry, bouncing back into the kitchenette and going straight to Louis to throw his arms around his shoulders, making sure the older lad got a big mouthful of his wet hair.

"Eugh!  You are such a sod!" Louis yelped, immediately aiming to dig his fingers just below Harry's rib cage and start tickling, making the smaller boy squeal and squirm until he was a panting mess on the floor - all bright eyed, flushed cheeks with the most adorable set of dimples out in their full glory.  

Louis who had been kneeling over him, jumped to his feet with a triumphant grin having undoubtedly won that round.

"Eat up!" he urged sitting down at the little table himself, and pouring himself a bowl of Coco Pops.  

Crunching his first mouthful, Louis patted the bit of bench next to him enthusiastically, until Harry stopped giggling for long enough to crawl off the floor and join him. 

"What are you doing today Haz?" Zayn comically asked, pushing the plate of warm buttered toast under his nose and mocking the popular Harry and Niall feature.

"Having a Larry day!" Harry enthused through a large mouthful.  "We're going shopping, getting a tattoo and then we're..."

" _I'm_ getting a tattoo," Louis reminded the excitable lad, watching fondly as he bopped up and down in his seat.  "You're just there to hold my hand."

"If it hurts so much Lou, why do you get them?" Harry asked, cocking his head to the side.  "I mean, they look amazing, but are they really worth the pain?"

Louis thought back to the previous day, then further to the night before, resting his arm on the table as he traced the little tattoo of a stick figure on a skateboard.  He felt two sets of eyes on him, realising that his expression was probably too serious for the level of conversation they were actually having.

"You'd be surprised to know how much pain and discomfort a person is willing to go through when they really want something," he replied somewhat distantly, refusing to meet either of their eyes.  "In fact, the more you want something the less you consider the pain because you are so focused on what will come out of it."

The tone was wistful, the words poignant, almost as though they were revealing a deeper meaning.  A flicker of doubt entered Zayn's mind that Louis was no longer commenting on the subject of tattoos, but because he couldn't think of what his mate could be referring to, he didn't dwell upon it.

"Well I think you're really brave," chatted Harry cheerfully, crunching through the last of his crusts.  "Don't you think so Zay?"

Zayn smirked and rolled his eyes, coughing pointedly as he flexed his own tattooed arm.

Harry frowned and glanced at the large microphone adorning the lads forearm.

"Well yours are just weird," he commented swiftly, making Louis nearly choke on his cereal as he tried to smother a snort of laughter, almost eclipsing Zayn's start of indignation. "I like Lou's better."

"Are you seriously saying that this piece of art is less impressive than a stick figure on a skateboard?" Zayn asked in disbelief, thrusting his arm into Harry's face.  "Look at the shading, the attention to detail..."

"You have a life sized microphone on your arm dude," Louis drawled, beaming delightedly at the withering look Zayn had fixed him with.  

Throwing him a cheeky wink, he carefully wiped a tiny dribble of chocolate milk off his chin with one hand whilst playing with Harry's damp hair with the other.  "Go dry your hair love.  The quicker you are ready, the sooner we can get going."

Harry hummed happily, jumping up, almost skipping back to the bedroom, having to squeeze past Liam and Niall who were fully dressed and ready for the day.

"Good morning lads!" Liam greeted, rubbing his hands together and heading straight for the coffee pot.  "Free day today!  Who's got plans?"

"Larry day," Louis grinned, dumping the dirty dishes in the sink.  "Gonna take H out for some quality time together."

"Got some making up to do eh?" Niall chortled, gulping down a glass of milk.  "Maybe if you buy him something pretty he'll forget all about your special friends!"

"Not funny Ni," Louis warned coolly.  "Know your audience mate."

Niall shook off his response and patted Louis on the back.

"Just messing Lugee.  Have a great day."

"He does have a point," Liam commented thoughtfully.  "Harry was pretty upset with you, sounded a bit jealous if you ask me."

"Harry is..." Louis began with a slight edge to his voice, before as usual getting interrupted.

"Standing right here," Harry announced, finishing Louis' sentence as he re-joined the boys.

Sliding back into his space at the table, with a head of thoroughly dry and glossy bouncing curls, Harry scowled in a brotherly fashion towards his older sibling.  "Ready to go bestie?"

 

Louis sat forward on the little chair, elbows leaning heavily on his knees, hands clasped in his lap watching as Harry happily flicked through a rail of hoodies.

They were in the shop _Jack Wills_ which according to the brand was 'fabulously British' - it wasn't to Louis' personal taste per say.  He was far more into the skater look, or the sports brand Adidas - but Harry had spotted this particular sweatshirt through the window as they were walking by, dragging Louis by the hand into the shop so he could try it on.  

The adorable part was that Louis knew Harry had no intention of leaving the shop with the hoodie.  As far as his boy was concerned, he was going to find it, try it on, probably take a selfie of him wearing it, put it back and leave with Louis to continue the rest of their trip.  Money wasn't much of an object to Louis.  But to Harry, who's only income was minimum wage from the small bakery he worked at on weekends, money was a big deal.  He wasn't about to spend all his holiday spending money on one item of clothing.  Harry had worked for weeks to save that up.

However, as far as Louis was concerned, Harry wouldn't be leaving the shop without it.

"Looks really good on you H," he complimented, enjoying the colour on his friend, and also how much he was smiling as he checked himself out in the mirror.  "Why don't you try it on with a pair of those jeans?" he suggested pointing to a nearby stack.  "We've got all day."

Harry immediately went to the stack, rifling through them for his size, then with Louis following him close behind, trotted off in the direction of the changing rooms.  

"Wow.  They look really great on you," Louis nodded in approval, inspecting the fit from all angles.  Again, they weren't to his taste - a lot baggier than his preferred skinny jean - but they suited Harry.  He was much too young to be showing his body off anyway.

Just as he had predicted, Harry pulled his phone out of his pocket, handing it to Louis to take a couple of photos.  He just looked adorable, which Louis happily told him so - there was nothing more heart warming than seeing Harry preen at a compliment that he had given him.

"You get dressed and I'll put these back for you love," Louis strategised, knowing in his own mind that he was going to be heading straight for the sales assistant, and carefully let himself out of the changing room.

 

Barely five minutes later, Harry met Louis at the door of the shop.

"Ooh, did you find something you liked?" Harry asked, immediately spotting the large blue and pink bag in his hand.  "I didn't think this was your style."

Louis shook his head smiling.  Harry was just so unassuming and he never expected a gift, even when it was blatantly obvious to everyone else.

"Found something I liked very much," Louis assured him, reaching into the bag and pulling out the purple hoodie, "but I think it looks better on you Curly."

Harry's eyes widened in honest astonishment.  It wasn't abnormal for Louis to surprise him with presents at the most unexpected moments - but he never foresaw any of them coming.

"Aww Lou!  Thank you so much!" he exclaimed, tugging his own jumper off his head, replacing it hurriedly with his brand new royal purple hoodie, so hasty in his actions that he didn't even bother to remove the tag first - or even leave the shop.  

"You'd better not want to put the jeans on right away too," Louis commented with an amused grin.

"This is amazing!  Thank you so much!" Harry babbled, giving Louis a sudden hug.  "But you didn't have to buy them for me!"

Louis let himself sink into the rib crushing hug, beaming delightedly into soft, sweet smelling curls.

"How can I not buy you something you look that good in?" he stated fondly, pulling away and taking the boys hand.  "Come on, let's go get me inked up!"

 

The tattoo shop wasn't anything spectacular, nor was it a dive, but it was the place where Louis had got his first ever tattoo, and his second... third and fourth.

"Sup Dave?" he greeted, walking confidently in with Harry in tow.  "Can you squeeze me in for a quickie?"

The heavily tattooed and pierced male alpha, who was leaning heavily on the counter and reading a copy of NME, looked up with a quirky half smile.

"You are talking about a tattoo right mate? Because I wouldn't swing that way even for you."

Harry raised one eyebrow in confusion, glancing between the work of art and his best friend.  Swing what way?

Louis chuckled and squeezed Harry's hand, urging him forward.

"Harry this is Dave," he introduced.  "Greatest artist in the universe... and he does a mean cuppa.  Dave, this is my Harry."

"Ah Harry!  Great to meet you mate!" Dave exclaimed enthusiastically. "Lou's told me so much about you - great to finally put a face to the name."

Over the past year or so Louis had frequently visited Dave at his establishment, and no matter what topic their conversation started on, somehow Louis would always end up talking about his 'best mate Harry'.  

"So what do you want today?" Dave asked, leading Louis and Harry into the back.  "Guessing it's something small if it's a 'quickie'."

"It'll take you fifteen minutes tops," Louis assured him, taking a carefully folded piece of paper out of his back pocket.  He went to show Dave, but then thought better of it.  

"H?  Mind if I get this done without you seeing?" he asked sheepishly. "Want it to be a surprise."

Harry nodded, looking even more curious than he had been before and left the room to go and peruse Dave's gallery of successes.  He hadn't mentioned it to Louis - or anyone else for that matter - but he really wanted a tattoo of his own.  It was so unfair that he wouldn't be allowed one for another three years!

Half an hour later Dave and Louis emerged once more, a section of Louis' right arm bandaged up, to find Harry pouring over the walls with rapt admiration.

"These are incredible!" Harry complemented Dave.  "I am definitely coming to you for my first tattoo."

"Oh?  What were you thinking of?" Dave asked, taking Louis' money and winking at the generous tip the lad had thrown in.

"Nothing for another three years," Louis warned Harry playfully.  "Plenty of time to think about it."

"What did you get?" asked Harry, disappointed that he wasn't able to see through the protective covering.

"Don't be so impatient young Harold," Louis smirked cheekily  "All will be revealed." 

Harry groaned inwardly.  He hated it when Louis got all mysterious.  He watched as Louis turned to Dave giving him a fist bump.

"I'll keep in touch mate, bound to be back sooner or later."

"Me too!" Harry chipped in, already day dreaming of where his first piece of art work was going to go.

"Three years," Louis reminded him in a sing-song voice.

Dave shot Harry a grin.  "I'll see you in three years mate," he shrugged.  "Can't wait to see what you come up with after all that time."

 

The rest of the day was, in Louis' opinion, lovely and normal.

Because it was one of Harry's favourite places, they got drinks at Starbucks and took advantage of the unseasonable dry weather to drink them in the park where they fed the ducks in the pond and played on the swings just like they had done when they were young.

It was when they spent time together like this that Louis really appreciated Harry's company and what the boy contributed to his life without even knowing it.

Harry was a normal boy.  He had no airs and graces when it came to Louis.  He didn't feel the need to always agree with him, which was something Louis valued.

Harry would tease him over his facial hair, tell him off for swearing too much, and never treated him any differently to how he had done when they were growing up.

To some people, Louis Tomlinson was a major celebrity.  To Harry, Louis was just his best friend who was very successful at what he loved and someone he was immensely proud of.

In short, Harry reminded Louis of what values were important in his life.  

One Direction was the best job he could ever have hoped to have, and their success gave him so many opportunities, extra money and allowed him to have fun with his three brothers every day.  There were downsides to how successful they had become though.  The hours they spent working were long, sometimes they had sleepless nights and sometimes it felt like he had no time to do anything apart from travel, sing and talk, and have people agree with him all the time just because he was Louis Tomlinson from One Direction.

To Harry he was just Louis.  And without knowing it Harry was the older alphas version of gravity - keeping his head from disappearing into the clouds, and planting his feet firmly on the ground.

"If I wanted to be a bin man, what would you think of me?" Louis had asked him one day out of the blue.

"I'd be proud of you for keeping our community clean," Harry had replied without even thinking about it.  "I'm really proud of how successful you are, but I'm even more proud of the person you are inside."

It was something that Louis thought about frequently, each time feeling the same warm and cosy sensation in his tummy that he'd felt as Harry had first said those words.

 

It wasn't until they were back on the bus with the rest of the boys that Louis decided to put Harry out of his misery and see his new tattoo.

"Come on Lou, whip it out!" Zayn encouraged, finding it strange that his mate was taking so long to show it off.  It usually didn't take him more than five seconds before he was shoving an inked body part in his face.

Louis looked around the circle of interested faces, seeing he had everyone's attention, his eyes lingering a little longer on Harry who was sitting next to him, and shuffled even closer to get the best view.

"Ok, well, don't take the piss," he warned. "This tatt means a lot to me, and to be honest it won't mean a thing to anyone apart from Harry... and maybe Liam," he considered as an afterthought.

Niall and Zayn shared suspicious glances, whilst Liam too leaned forward to get a closer look.

Very carefully, Louis peeled back the covering, and then held his arm out for all of them to see.  He had to admit, he was very pleased with how it had turned out.  It was a replica of what Louis had given Dave to copy, just a little bit larger than the originals size, which was exactly what he had wanted - but then again, it was quite straight forward, and Dave was a genius.

"I don't get it," Liam frowned, staring at him with confusion.  "Are you drunk or something?"

"It's not exactly what I was expecting," Zayn admitted, looking as lost as Niall who was patiently waiting for an explanation.

"What do you think H?" Louis asked his best friend quickly, desperate for his seal of approval.

Harry was sat so still next to Louis, drinking in the sight of the tattoo and grinning so hard it would have hurt him if he had thought about anything other than what he was looking at.

"That's me!" he exclaimed in absolute disbelief, snatching up Louis' arm.  "That's my writing!"

The rest of the boys looked confused at how delighted Harry looked, still none the wiser.

"Do you like it H?" Louis asked, even though he was sure of the answer.  Harry looked positively enamoured.

"I love it," Harry breathed, critically examining it from every angle.  "I just can't believe you got this done!"

The tattoo was small and to the unknowing eye very simple.  It was one that Louis had been itching to get for a while - but he'd been saving it for when Harry could be with him, after all, it had been inspired by the boy.  To be exact, it was the first word Harry had ever said - both in his life, and to Louis - when he was just fourteen months old.

Louis was five when Harry said his first word.  

It was after a day at school and he'd spent a very hard yet productive day colouring - it was so tiring to try and keep inside the lines!  Jay had sympathised with him immediately, getting him out of his school clothes and settling him down in the living room to watch his favourite cartoons with a glass of milk.  He had barely managed to fully immerse himself in the adventures of Bugs Bunny, when Liam's mum came into the room with a very tearful and struggling Harry in her arms.

"He's a little bit grumpy today," she told Louis, rocking the little boy gently and pressing kiss after kiss on his forehead.  "You're so good with him Boo, can he have a little cuddle with you?  I can't help your mummy when he wants to be held."

Louis agreeably got comfy, holding his arms out for baby Harry to be settled sideways on his lap.

It was like magic.  The moment Harry realised who'd he'd been transferred to, he let out a delighted little gurgle stretching his tiny fingers out to grab hold of Louis' nose!

Anne sighed with relief.  She didn't like to impose her baby on such a young child like Louis, but it wasn't lost on her that no matter how distressed her baby was, how much he kicked, screamed and cried - Louis was always able to pacify him and bring the most delighted little giggles out of her baby.

"I'm going to leave the door open," she promised.  "Your mummy and I will be able to hear you if you need us."

Louis nodded distractedly, being far too busy making silly faces at Harry who had wriggled onto his knees, grabbing at Louis' short hair, trying to use it to stand.  

"Harry!" Louis complained in the kindest way, considering he'd just had a portion of his hair yanked.  "We're missing the bunny!" he patted his lap gently, and although Harry couldn't understand his words, he did sit down, cuddling right into Louis' tummy.

Anne wished Liam was more like Louis - who didn't want to be within a foot of his baby brother if he could help it.  She supposed it was something to do with the two of them sharing a different father - or some kind of resentment that Harry had his daddy living with him, when his had moved away.

For the first five minutes, Louis watched his beloved cartoons - then he got bored - turning his attention back to the baby in his lap who was babbling away to him the whole time, not needing a response.  Feeling his arm going numb where Harry had been laying on it, he stretched it out, a little too fast, knocking the remains of his mug of milk off the table.

The sound of ceramic splintering on the fireplace sounded extra loud to Louis' guilty ears, peeping over the arm to see dripping milk all over the floor.

Harry had looked shocked at the noise, fixed big green eyes on the older boys face, and broke into delighted laughter, clapping his little hands together.  He thought Louis was pulling funny faces again!

"Oops!" Louis squeaked as he heard footsteps heading their way.

Harry grinned, his baby face dimpling as he giggled, slightly dribbling as he copied Louis, slapping his own hands against his cheeks just like the bigger boy was.

"Oops!" he babbled happily just as Anne and Jay both hurried into the room just a few seconds too late to hear Harry's first ever word.

 

"That's wrong," Liam frowned after Louis had recounted the story behind his choice of tattoo.  "Haz's first word was 'moon', mum told me."

"You could not be more incorrect," Louis informed his friend haughtily.  "I was there, you were not."

Liam made a face at the other boys, but Louis completely missed it.  He was too taken with watching Harry's eyes, raking over his forearm as though he couldn't actually believe what he was seeing.  Harry was actually etched upon Louis' skin, _his_ words, _his_ handwriting, _their_ memories, permanently on Louis' arm for _everyone_ to see.

Including all of Louis' special little friends.  They didn't have tattoos dedicated to them!  Harry couldn't help but feel deliciously smug!

"You don't mind do you?" Louis asked him quietly.  "I just wanted to let you know how much you mean to me, which can't even be summed up by this, you mean so much more."

"I love it," Harry quietly told him, "Even more than my Jack Wills hoodie!  By the way..." he added with a small smile.  "I know exactly what I want my first tattoo to be,"

"Wouldn't be 'Hi' by any chance?" Louis asked with a knowing smile.

Harry nodded eagerly.  "In your handwriting!  Then we can match!  Would you like that?"

Louis' heart filled with the most idyllic warmth.

"I would love that," he assured his closest companion.  "As long as you are sure at the time.  Don't feel like you have to though, just because I did it."

Harry just scoffed at him.  There was no doubt that he would still want to do it in three year's time, just as much as he did today.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter four!
> 
> Thank you very much for reading and hope you find it enjoyable.
> 
> Many thanks for your time, kudos, comments and subscribers - all of which very much appreciated. Hope you all have a lovely week xxx

 Louis Aged 19

 

Harry Aged 15

 

"I like it, but I don't love it," Harry told Caroline when she offered a red and black t-shirt for his inspection.  "Vans send him loads of free stuff anyway."

He scrunched up his nose whilst pointing at two pairs of shoes.  "He already has those. He probably has the shirt too.  Besides, anyone can get him clothes, and it's not the most exciting of presents is it?  I want him to think mine is the best one of all!"

Caroline sighed and put the shirt back.  They had been shopping for Harry's birthday present to Louis for the past three hours, and they were no closer to finding the perfect gift than when they had started.

"I want it to be meaningful," Harry explained for the twentieth time as they left the shop.  "X-Box games, CDs and clothes are just not special enough."

"What did you get him last year?" Caroline asked as she sidestepped to let a mum with a pushchair through.

"I made him a scrap book of everything he'd done last year," Harry told her whilst he smiled happily at the memory.  "He loved it."

"Aww that's sweet," Caroline gushed fondly.  It was easy to imagine Harry sitting next to a huge stack of photographs, surrounded by glittery stickers and felt tip pens that captured every colour of the rainbow.

Her musings were interrupted by Harry as he tugged on her arm and then more or less pressed his nose against the window pane of the nearest shop window.

"Lou would look great in that!" he exclaimed, pointing to one of the mannequins.  "But there is no way I'll be able to afford it."

"Yves Saint Laurent is a little pricey," his close friend commented.  "Besides, you said clothes were boring."

"I was willing to make an exception," Harry grumbled, but he let Caroline steer him away to continue their search.  "Lou would have really liked it, and he deserves to have nice things."

There was an air of challenge in his eyes as though he expected Caroline to contradict him.

"What if I told you that you could give him something one hundred times better than that," Caroline replied, gesturing back towards the luxurious branded store.  "For a fraction of the cost and a thousand times more meaningful?"

Harry quirked an eyebrow in curiosity.  "I'd say I was interested."

Caroline beamed, slipped an arm around Harry's waist and began to walk him in the direction of her favourite part of town.  If she knew this boy as well as she hoped she did - he was going to love this idea!

 

Louis glanced at his phone and felt a grey cloud of disappointment form above his head.  Harry wasn't coming back to the hotel tonight.  Apparently he was having too much fun with Caroline and would be sleeping at hers.  Fantastic!  Not!

Sat on the settee in the living room part of his hotel suite, Louis idly watched as Liam, Niall and Zayn flitted about as they prepared to go out for the evening.  Dressed up in their smart clothes the three lads were preened to perfection.

Louis on the other hand was wearing his "comfies" - an oversized t-shirt and jogging bottoms.  He hadn't planned on joining the lads on their night out, because after a long day of interviews and photo shoots he had expected to collapse in front of the TV with Harry and order a ton of room service.  Obviously that was off the cards now.

"What's up with you?" Zayn asked, sensing his mate's change of mood, unable to miss how Louis' lower lip was stuck out in a pout with his arms crossed tightly over his chest.  "Worried you're going to be missing out?"

He was joking of course.  Everybody knew that Louis didn't care about missing a club night when Harry was around to entertain him.

"Harry's not coming back tonight," Louis responded flatly as he stuck his lower lip out further and blew upwards to get his fringe out of his eyes.  "He's having too much fun with Flack!"

"Ooh, someone's jealous!" Niall teased from where he was checking his hair in the mirror.  "Harry's got another friend!"

"Not jealous," Louis snapped a little more aggressively than he had intended.  "It's great that Harry has other friends.  I was just expecting him to come home.  I mean..." he clucked his tongue with annoyance, "he has just spent all day with her.  She's not that great."

"Harry's not coming back tonight?" Liam asked, only just hearing the conversation.  "He's sleeping at Caroline's?" A look of wariness crossed his face.  "Should I be concerned?"

"No!" Louis scoffed.  "Get a grip Li!  Harry is way too young to be thinking about that kind of thing!  Wouldn't have even entered his head!"

Liam made a face, which he shared with both Niall and Zayn.  Harry wasn't _that_ young, and Louis did seem to be blind to that fact a lot of the time.

"I'm gonna call him," Liam decided.  "Just to check in, see what his plans are." He glanced at Louis as he reached for his phone.  "Well don't just sit there.  Get ready, you're coming out with us."

Louis tried to disagree, there was always a chance that Harry would change his mind.  But Niall and Zayn both made loud noises of encouragement and excitement and his protests were easily drowned out - which is how Louis ended up in the bar on a Friday night, just like all the other nights when he didn't have Harry around to have fun with.

There was no question which evening he would prefer.

It wasn't that Louis didn't approve of the venue - Hennessy was a very nice bar - exclusive enough so that there was a strict no mobile phones or cameras policy which evoked a level of privacy which was pretty rare these days.  If Louis wanted to sit and sulk over a cocktail or eight, at least there would be no photographic evidence!

It wasn't that the company he was with wasn't to his satisfaction.  You would think that after spending almost all day every day in each other's pockets, all four lads would be too happy to have some time on their own or personal space - but this just wasn't the case.  They weren't just work colleagues, they were friends.  And although they liked the odd bit of time to themselves, they were still able to separate work talk from personal chit chat - Louis hoped deeply that they would never lose that.

"What's wrong?" Zayn asked finally, unable to watch his usually chipper and enthusiastic friend sit slumped in his chair, and stare blankly at his glass.  Louis wasn't even pretending to contribute to the conversation - which was most unusual.  Usually the three of them had to fight to steer the conversation back their way after Louis got started.

Louis shrugged tiredly.  There was a flatness to both his tone and expression that spoke in volumes. "Guess I'm just not in the mood."

Zayn's brow furrowed, analysing the noticeable differences between Louis as he was now, and the happy, enthusiastic lad he had spent the day with.  The contrast was obvious.

"You don't like Harry staying with Caroline do you?" he asked in a low voice, leaning a little bit closer.  "You feel like he's chosen her over you."

Louis shrugged again, but made no attempt to disagree.  Zayn must have hit the nail on the head.

"That's ridiculous." 

Louis looked up into the soft brown eyes of one of his closest friends and sighed.  Now it had been said aloud, it did seem exactly as Zayn had put it - ridiculous!  He just hadn't expected it.  He knew Caroline and Harry were friends and it wasn't unusual for the two of them to text each other or for the older girl to join them for dinner - but spending all day together and then staying the night?  It just felt like things were going too far.

"Louis!  Snap out of it!" Zayn bit out of nowhere as he realised that Louis hadn't heard a word of the heart warming and supportive speech he'd just delivered.  "Not only will Harry be back with you tomorrow, but we'll all be going home for Christmas tomorrow!  This could be our last proper night out for ages!  We can't even celebrate your birthday with a lad's night because Harry is underage - so put a fucking smile on your face and finish your sodding drink!" 

 

"Caggs!  I need you!" Harry groaned in frustration as he briefly considered throwing his crafting tool across the room.  "I've pulled it too tight and I've lost the loop!"

Caroline bustled over to where Harry was sitting at a little table in her living room holding Louis' half-finished birthday present out to her in urgency.

"I'm never going to finish this," Harry grumbled, watching as his friend painstakingly corrected the slight mistake he'd made and handed it back to him.

"You're doing a fantastic job babe," she complemented, "Look at how even this is.  For your first try..."

"Forth," Harry corrected instantly, reminding her of the first few attempts that had been deemed un-fixable when he had been learning how to use the equipment.

"You're doing really well," Caroline told him slowly.  "Louis will love that you went to all this trouble. You have plenty of time to get it finished since you're staying over, but if you don't I can always help you."

"Oh no, if I'm doing this at all I'm going to finish it all by myself." Harry assured her with the slightest air of fiery stubbornness.  Something that Caroline had come to expect from the boy when he really had his heart and mind set.

Caroline promised she wouldn't interfere, curling up on the settee with her laptop.  

"They've all gone out to Hennessy," she informed Harry as she logged into her Twitter account.

"I thought they would," Harry answered distractedly, the tip of his tongue stuck out in the most adorable fashion as he concentrated.  "Lou doesn't get to go out clubbing when I'm around.  He says he doesn't mind, but it must be so boring hanging around in 'child friendly' environments all the time."

"I think Louis rates company over location," Caroline considered.  "Venues that are exclusively for over eighteen's aren't all they are cracked up to be anyway.  What was it you two did the other night?"

"Laser-tag!" Harry enthused looking up from his work with bright eyes at the memory.  "It was so much fun!  Especially because none of the opposing team wanted to hit _the_ Louis from One Direction!  We won easily!" The smile on his face was instantly fond.  "We always have fun together even if we're doing nothing." Harry scratched his nose thoughtfully.  "I wish I could go clubbing with them though.  Just to see what it's like."

"Well when you're eighteen..." Caroline started but trailed off when Harry's expression turned disgruntled.  He didn't like being constantly told he wasn't grown up enough to do things like the others could.

"What do you get up to whilst the boys are working?" Caroline asked in an attempt to change the subject.  She knew that when Harry travelled with the boys on tour he spent almost all his time with them.  

"Sit and watch usually," Harry pondered as he returned to his project.  "Sound checks, interviews, photo shoots, stuff like that.  I watch them perform every night - which is amazing!  Seeing the crowd's reaction to them is just mind blowing!"

"Don't you ever get bored of just watching them?"

"No." Harry shook his head until his curls bounced.  "Louis is a great person to just, like, sit and admire what he's like."

"And the other three?" Caroline asked with a small smile.  "Including your brother?"

Harry's dimples popped as he grinned somewhat guiltily.

"They're not bad either!  It's amazing to see how they are now.  It used to be just me as their audience and now they perform to thousands.  It's incredible!"

"They have accomplished a lot in a short space of time," Caroline nodded with agreement.  "They deserve all the success. It's not hard to see they've earned it."

"Sometimes I wish I was more involved," Harry said quietly, his fingers pausing mid craft.  "Is that wrong of me?"

"You wish you were part of the band?" Caroline asked.  "I didn't know you could sing."

"Thanks mate," Harry said pointedly with raised eyebrows.  "Maybe not be in One Direction, but I do wish I could travel around with them.  I could help out behind the scenes.  I'm pretty handy with a camera - at least that's what Lou says."

He stopped, taking a self-indulgent moment to preen.  Memories of his best friend praising him were almost as good as hearing them in the moment.  

"I just wish my holiday could last longer.  Being with the boys and Lou has been so much fun!  I miss them so much when I have to go home - everything goes back to normal, and instead of going to shows and hanging with them on the bus or backstage, I have to do homework and go to bed early."  He scowled to himself.  "It sucks basically.  I hate being left out!  And..."

His eyes flickered up to his friend's face.

"I worry that they won't need me around as much, because they'll get used to be not being there.  When I'm at home, I'm always thinking about them and what they are doing - mainly because I don't really have anything else to do.  But they have such a busy workload, and they have each other.  They probably forget about me most of the time."

"I seriously doubt that," Caroline told him. Not just to comfort him, but because she was certain it was true.  "They adore you.  Especially Louis.  If he wasn't thinking about you much, why would he call you every day and text you all the time?"

Harry brightened instantly, and with no further words of doubt, went back to concentrate on the task in hand.  He was going to make Louis the best birthday present ever!

 

"I hate you!" Louis groaned with malice.  His bleary, red eyes cracked open.  "How come you look so fucking happy?"

Zayn laughed long and loud as he watched his friend stumble tiredly out of his bedroom and navigate to the dining room table he was sitting at.  Dressed in only his boxers Louis had clearly just rolled out of bed and looked wrecked.  Zayn was convinced he could smell every single shot of alcohol he'd shoved in front of the lad's face.

"Room service?" he offered politely.  The green tinge to Louis' hollow cheeks was really quite comical.  "What about a nice full English?  Black pudding?"

Louis swallowed hard as an attempt to fight off a possible undignified wave of nausea.  The stare he fixed Zayn with was icy cold.  Black pudding and what it was created from was not what his hangover from hell required!  

"Feel a little delicate this morning?" Zayn asked with the air of conversation as he scoured the room service menu for his own breakfast choice.  "I'm not surprised.  If you will go into private rooms and do naughty things with impressionable, wishful-thinking omegas!"

"Shut up!" Louis grumbled from the uncomfortable pillow which was his folded arms.  "You know fuck all, bro!"

"That's not Twitter's opinion," Zayn tutted at him.  Louis felt the sharp tap of a phone on the back of his head and resisted the urge to stuff the offending item up Zayn's rectum!

Snatching up the phone he squinted through the brightness of the screen.

    

"She was just looking at my tattoos," Louis defended himself with ease.  "Thought they were cool - which they are!" He winced as the jerk of his head sent a jolt of pain through his temples.  "Thought cameras and phones were banned at Hennessy?"

"You're a playboy popstar!" Zayn couldn't help but tease him.  "Photos of you are hot property, people are gonna find a way!"

Still playing with the room service menu in his hands, Zayn sat back, smugly comparing Louis' obvious morning after state to his own bright and cheerful version.

"So what happened in the private room?  She was all over you at the bar.  Kind of like a very attractive octopus!" he persisted, wishing the lad hadn't hidden his face with the circle of his folded arms so he could see the immediate reaction.

A fake snore hummed in response.  Zayn rolled his eyes.  Fine.  He would just leave it to his imagination what went on between Louis and the brunette - wouldn't exactly be that challenging to work out.  Louis went through omegas like Zayn went through hair product!

 

"Morning!"

The main room to the suite had opened, Harry's excited little face peeping around the door frame.

"Hey _Harry_!" Zayn greeted enthusiastically.  His amused eyes darted back to Louis with interest.  He doubted the lad would be 'asleep' for much longer now that his little ball of sunshine had returned to him.

At the sound of his best friend's name Louis' head sprung out of his arms, wanting to greet Harry with his biggest and brightest, most special smile.  He had missed his boy so much.

Unfortunately, his head swam dizzily at the sudden movement, his lips twisting into a sour grimace. 

"What did you do to him?" Harry asked nervously, taking in Louis' pale and pained face, then rounded on Zayn who was far too happy at the sight of Louis' sickly complexion for Harry's liking.

"You promised you wouldn't let him drink much!" he accused the smug alpha with a wag of his finger.  He was copying it from his mum from when he was getting told off, but whereas she would always make him feel bad and plead forgiveness, Zayn just cooed at him in a patronised tone whilst ruffling his hair.

"I'm fine!" Louis insisted tiredly, holding his arms out to Harry pathetically as he pouted, adding a little whine for effect.  His head was pounding, his eyes ached and he was so tired.  What did a lad need to do to get some attention around here?

Harry turned his back on Zayn to appraise bloodshot and shadowed eyes, the sickly complexion and huddled frame. 

Louis was hungover.  If he was following his usual pattern (which was very predictable), he had a very bad headache and most probably had a very delicate tummy.  Harry had seen quite a few hangovers on his favourite lad, and although this was nowhere near the worst he had seen him, it didn't look great.

Plucking the cordless phone from Zayn, he carefully arranged himself in Louis' lap, dodging the clumsy arms that almost hit him as they clamoured to hug him tight, and dialled downstairs for room service - Harry loved to order room service for himself and Louis, it made him feel so grown up!

"I'm gonna leave you to it," Zayn announced as he got to his feet, passing Harry the menu,  "since Lou's in your capable hands now."

Harry narrowed his eyes as they followed Zayn remove himself casually from the suite.  As much as he loved Zayn, he was not impressed with him in the slightest.  What kind of person would sit by and let their friend get so off his face he ended up like this?

 

"Missed my Curly last night."

Louis squeezed Harry tight as he tried to get as much of the gangly boy into his arms as possible.  He really was like a fawn, all arms and legs that were just not to scale with the rest of his body.  

Harry always smelled so crisp and clean.  It could have been the lavender and camomile laundry detergent that clung to his clothes.  It could be the scent of wild flowers which came from the use of his favourite shampoo.  It could just be the raw and organic aroma vaporising from the pores of his skin.  

Whatever it was, wherever it came from, Louis inhaled deeply, the nausea induced from the night before lifting effortlessly.

"I missed you," he repeated as he nudged Harry's collarbone with his nose and smiled into his chest as his favourite cuddle buddy rested his cheek on the crown of his head. "Did you have fun with Flack?"

"Yup!" Harry enthused.  Louis could feel every bit of his excitement.  Harry's chin felt like a nodding dog against his scalp.

"We watched films.  We played games.  Chatted."  

Harry carefully left out how he had actually spent the whole afternoon, evening and most of the early hours creating Louis' birthday present.  Fortunately Louis was feeling too hungover to require anything other than a vague outline.

"How was your night?" he asked in an effort to deflect.  "Was it worth how bad you're feeling now?"

"I feel fine," Louis dismissed with a lie, exposed with a moan as his head threatened to explode all over Harry and the table.  "I'm just tired.  Was a great night,"

Harry rolled his eyes.  He knew a Louis fib when he heard one.

"What time are we going home?" he asked and giggled when Louis replied, his warm breath making Harry's neck tickle.

"Liam's doing some last minute shopping.  He said we'll start heading back around three,"

"Come on then," 

Louis whined as the comfortable pillow of Harry's shoulder dislodged itself and stood up.  There were times when fifteen year old Harry acted much older than his years - and Louis'!

Tender and gentle with his touch, Harry took control as he heaved Louis out of his chair.  He steered his best friend towards the bedroom and tucked him into the bed he hadn't long crawled out of.  

The older lad wished he could properly appreciate the chaste kiss to his forehead, that Louis was far too poorly to respond to.

With a shake of his head at Louis' idea of a fun night out, and wondering if it was really worth the aftermath, Harry turned his attention to Louis' scattered belongings.  Somewhere amongst all the clutter there would hopefully be some kind of pain relief to go with a tall glass of water.  That usually did the trick.

 

The first time Harry witnessed Louis with a hangover from hell, was when he was twelve and Louis was sixteen.

It was a beautiful morning in the middle of summer.  The sky was a clear and cornflower blue.  The birds were chirping and the sun was hot right from the early hours.

The plan for the day was simple.  

Harry and Louis were going to spend the day at the park and the young boy was bursting with excitement!  Louis was going to teach him some tricks on his skateboard.  Harry had been very envious of his skills - especially when he was in his full glory on the ramp.

The reality that Harry faced when he entered Louis' bedroom was nowhere near what he had been expecting.

"Lou!  What's wrong?" Harry gasped running into his friend's bathroom as the sound of retching and gagging reached his ears, skidding onto his knees onto the tiled floor.

Poor Louis was clinging onto the bowl of the toilet as though his life depended upon it.  When he tried to turn his head to acknowledge Harry's arrival he was rudely interrupted.  Another slew of watery vomit cascading out of his mouth accompanied by the most vicious of gagging noises.

"Aww Lou," Harry murmured with dismay, instantly torn between rubbing the older boys back and getting him a drink of water.  Two things his mum always did when he was sick.

He settled for the first, trying to be gentle but ending up being clumsy and a little rough due to how worried he was.

"I think I'm dying!" Louis groaned pitifully. He stretched to flush the toilet, then lay back on the floor, pressing his aching face against the cold tiles.  His hand groped for Harry's dragging the smaller boy onto the floor beside him.  "Haz, help me!"

Harry's eyes widened in dismay.  Louis looked dreadful.  His eyes were red.  His face was blotchy, and there was something that looked suspiciously like vomit on his chin.

"Why's the light so bright?" Louis whined as he curled up in a ball and snatched his hand away from Harry's to wrap his arms around his head.  "Turn the light off! Oh my... fuck!  I'm in so much pain!"

If it had been an ordinary circumstance Harry would have told Louis off for using the 'F' word - but his favourite human was in agony, nothing else mattered.  

The speed of how quickly he was able to shut the curtains in the bedroom was competitive with lightening, until both the bathroom and his bedroom was as dark as possible.  So dark that Harry tripped and fell over an empty glass bottle left near the bed.

Harry winced from the carpeted floor, but ignored his own discomfort when spluttering rang out from the bathroom once again.

"Harry?!" 

"Lou!  I'm coming!" Harry called out, crawling on his hands and knees to avoid falling again.  "You'll be alright!  Nothing is going to happen to you!"

Harry pulled Louis into his arms and hugged him tight.

"You're not going to die Lou!" he promised, almost crying at how the usually strong and stable lad was shaking weakly in his lap.  "I'm going to call mum.  She'll know what to do!  She'll drive us to the hospital!"

"Hospital my ass!" Liam's sleepy voice came from behind him.  "If a brass band wasn't doing the conga inside my skull I'd be saying he was a massive baby!"

"Li!  Louis' sick!" Harry babbled, unsure where he came from, but not caring in the slightest.  "Get mum!  Get Jay!"

He wrung his hands in the air frantically.

"Do something!  He thinks he's dying!"

"No mums!" Louis coughed.  There was a terrified expression on his now pale and sickly face.  "Just leave me here to die!"

Liam snorted, switching on the bright bathroom light which instantly made Louis cry out and bury his face in Harry's neck.

"What did you do that for you heartless knob?  Turn it off, turn it off!"

Harry glared at his brother and his smug smile and kicked him in the shin until Liam sighed heavily and switched the offending switch off.  If the light was hurting Louis, it would stay off!

"Li!  Louis' really sick!  Help us!"

"It's his own fault," Liam said bluntly.  He rubbed his own sore head.  "Mine too.  We were watching Skins last night and thought it would be cool to steal a bottle of rum from Jay's drinks cabinet.  Lou's just hungover H.  He just needs to sleep it off."

Louis squirmed in Harry's lap.  Liam was poking him with his toe, slapped away by Harry's indignant hand.  

"That's illegal!" Harry yelped out.  "You're not allowed to drink!  Mum is going to hit the roof!  You'll be grounded!  Louis will be grounded!  I won't be allowed to see him!"

He glared at his brother.  He was so angry. This had to be his idea.  He'd led Louis astray.  He'd ruined their day together!

Liam rolled his eyes yet again, and bent over to ease Louis out of Harry's arms.  Even though Liam was a year younger than Louis, he had always been the bigger built of the two and could easily carry the whining lad into his bedroom and tuck him back into his bed.

Harry followed at his heels like a frightened puppy, wanting to cuddle and be at his owner's side.

"He'll be fine H," Liam reassured him as Harry hopped into the other side of the bed and guided Louis' aching head to his chest and carded his fingers gently through soft hair.  "I'm gonna grab him some painkillers, dry toast and juice."

"Is that going to work?" Harry hissed, still worried about how pale the lad, who had tangled their legs together under the duvet, was.

Liam gave him a tight smile and left the room in search of the items he'd mentioned.

"Works for my dad," he muttered to nobody other than himself.

 

"Here Lou, just take a little bite.  Just for me," fifteen year old Harry wheedled, holding a perfect golden triangle of white toast up to Louis' mouth.  "It'll make you feel better."

Louis grimaced as his stomach churned at the smell.

"Can we just have a little sleep?" he asked, pushing Harry's toast filled hand away.  He wanted to ignore the concerned crease between the younger boy's eyebrows, but as much as his insides clenched and squirmed at the thought of eating - Harry's unhappy face would win every time.

"Just a couple of bites," he agreed reluctantly.  "Just for _you_ ," he emphasised. Harry beamed as he scooted closer with the plate of toast in his lap, a glass of water in one hand, and two little white tablets in the other.

 

Toast finished, tablets taken, the glass empty - Louis snuggled back under the plush duvet.  

"Come on you."

Louis was smiling tiredly, holding his arms out as he had done hundreds of times before.

"Don't you want me to cuddle you?" Harry asked.  Usually Louis begged to be snuggled with when he was feeling ill, which could be anything from the flu to just a small headache.  Louis loved to be comforted and made a fuss of.

This time however, the older lad disagreed.  

"You're going to get bigger," he explained with the sleepiest whisper of a murmur. He rolled onto his side so he was spooning his boy from behind, nose buried in the back of his hair, arms looped snugly around his lean waist. "Got to get some proper cuddles in before you're too big to be the little spoon!"

"I'll never be bigger than you Lou!" Harry chuckled, turning in the secure arms that held him so tenderly and lightly brushing their noses together.  "You've always been taller than me, stronger than me.  I'll be lucky if I get to be the same height as you!"

Louis' eyes were closed but from the quirk of his lips, Harry knew that if they were open they would be the brightest shade of sapphire.

"You know how big puppies are going to be by the size of their paws." He took Harry's hands up in his own.  Hands which somehow looked too large and out of place attached to the younger boy, and dwarfed his own as their fingers entwined.  "Well you my Hazza bear are going to grow into one massive puppy!"

Harry's nose crinkled.  He felt the absurdity of the topic bubble inside him until an untimely squawk of laughter burst out of his mouth, so he had to snatch his hands away from Louis' in order to cover his mouth.

Louis' eyes popped open with surprise and delight.  There was nothing more musical to his ears than the sound of Harry's spontaneous bark of laughter.  He didn't even pause to think twice as he pressed a hurried sloppy kiss upon the messy curls of his forehead.  It was as natural as nature.  Sweeter than the purest nectar.  Purer than the water from an undiscovered spring atop the highest mountain.  

"I love you," Louis burst out, not able to keep the words rolling around in his mouth or his head for a moment longer.  "You know that don't you?  It's always going to be me and you right?"

"You and I Lou." 

Harry nuzzled his nose against Louis' cheek.

"This is why I refuse to let you help me with my English coursework.  I always have to teach you!"  He shuffled down the bed a little, just far enough so that his cheek was smushed against Louis' bare chest.  When he spoke, his lips grazed the 'W' of the older lads tattoo.  "I love you too."

"Harry?" Louis asked through a mouthful of curls.  "You know that you're my best friend don't you?  Out of everyone?"

Harry furrowed his eyebrows, raising his chin to gain eye contact.

"Of course I know," he replied quizzically.  "Just like you're my best friend.  Out of everyone,"  he reaffirmed.  "Where did that come from?"

"Youchoseheroverme!" Louis mumbled.  His cheeks heated up with embarrassment.  But he just had to say it.  Caroline and Harry were so close these days - and it bothered him.  Was it stupid to worry that they might be getting as close as the two of them were?  

After Christmas and New Year One Direction would be promoting their next single - leaving Harry behind because he needed to attend school to study for his GCSE exams.  Very important exams where the results would determine the next step in his academic career.

In an ideal world Louis would have been there.  To help Harry with his revision, give him emotional support, and make sure that he was healthy and happy - the poor boy was always so nervous when it came to exams.

The only problem was that Louis was in a famous and successful band who was barely in the same country for long enough to work out where it was that they were.  He just couldn't be there for Harry the way he desperately wanted to be.

Not like Caroline could be.

How long before Harry was turning to Flack for help with his homework - and everything else that Louis couldn't be there for.  More days out, more sleepovers, more opportunities for Louis to be replaced as Harry's best friend!

For fucks sake he was so irrational!  Or was he?

"Lou?  What's wrong?" Harry asked with wide concerned eyes.  Was it his imagination or was this a little more emotional than Louis' regular character.  Was it the hangover?  Or was something really wrong?

"You said you were having too much fun with Flack to hang out with me.  You've never done that before... you always chose me..."

Louis could almost spit at himself for how childish he sounded.  

Immediately Harry had shuffled back up the bed, palms pressed against Louis' cheeks, foreheads melded together.

"Stop!" Harry commanded being unusually demanding - as unusual as it was for Louis to be the worrier.  "You get so needy when you're hungover!"

Louis could feel lips stretch into a smile against his skin, then pucker as his forehead was kissed.  The exhale of his own breath almost emptied his lungs as he clung to his beloved boy and hugged him so tightly.

"Caroline was... well it was a secret... for your birthday..." Harry breathed against his skin.  "But if it really bothers you that much... I can show you now... I never want you to feel that you are second best.  Even for one second.  You have your friends.  I have mine.  But you're my favourite - always!"

"My birthday?" Louis asked dumbly.  He shifted backwards so he could get a better view of the honest innocence of jade coloured eyes.  "Really?"

Harry shook his head with a flair of drama.

"That was all you heard?  Seriously Lou?"

Louis bit his bottom lip.  He felt as though he was fifteen again.

"I'm your favourite?"

Harry made a big show of rolling his eyes.

"Obviously."

A finger poked Louis' side.  Then prodded.  Then jabbed.  The hint couldn't be clearer.

"You're my favourite too."

The sunlight of Harry's smile dazzled him.  It melted away every stupid insecurity that had festered inside him.  Ever since he had received Harry's text saying he wouldn't be coming back to the hotel the night before.

Very gently Louis maneuvered Harry around in his arms.  It was how it always should be.  His arms around his sunshine, holding him close.  

"Harry," Louis whispered.  Tiredness was setting in, but he had to say this one thing before the moment passed.  "You're not just my favourite.  You're..."

"You're soppy when you're clingy too," Harry commented.  "Get some sleep Lou."

As hangovers went, Louis felt so much better.  They never lingered long when his boy was around.  

Louis may be the image of an alpha - but it was Harry who made him strong.  Even the mere thought of their bond breaking made him weaker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A special note for all the readers who do not attend school in England: 
> 
> GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education. These are examinations that are taken by most pupils at the end of their compulsory school education. Students are usually fifteen/sixteen when they sit them depending on when their birthday is.
> 
> These exams are incredibly important as they determine if the student is capable of pursuing an optional and higher level of education. The higher the grades, the more choices will be available for the student.


	5. Chapter 5

Liam Aged 3

Harry Aged 10 months

Calvin, Oli, Stan and Louis Aged 19

Harry Aged 15

 

"We are so proud of you!" Anne beamed as she hugged her eldest son - Liam - tightly and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  "The house is so quiet when you're away.  You really need to call me more often to catch me up on all the exciting things you're doing."

Liam squirmed in his seat.  He was so bad when it came to remembering to make phone calls home.

"Mum, leave him alone!" Harry scolded playfully from where he was sitting under their perfectly decorated Christmas tree and nibbled on a cookie.  "The band is really busy!  Liam calls when he can!"

"I know that really," Anne responded fondly, unable to resist dotting another kiss on her son's cheek.  "I just miss my baby."

"Thought _I_ was the baby," Harry complained thickly through a mouthful of crumbs, his lips quirked with an impish grin.

Liam rolled his eyes.  As far as he was concerned, Harry was the only baby in the family.  Liam was a flipping alpha!  Alpha's were not babies!  Besides, Harry was still too cute to be considered anything but.

"What time is Geoff picking you up?" Anne asked, giving Harry's dimpled cheek an affectionate pinch as she took his empty plate.  

 

Christmas time for Liam was different for him than it was for any of his friends, and it had been since he was a little boy - which unfortunately hadn't happened during the nicest of circumstances.

The problem had first occurred when Anne had thoughtfully invited her ex-partner to spend Christmas Day with herself, Des, Liam and Harry.  Childhood was so brief, and although they were no longer together, she didn't want Geoff to miss a moment of his son's magical day.  

Anne had only asked out of good intentions.  Geoff had been delighted.  He hadn't wanted to spend the day alone, and more than anything he wanted to see his little boy's face when he opened his presents.  As incompatible they were as a couple Geoff still loved Anne platonically very much and was so grateful to her for including him.

Geoff arrived bright and early on the day.  The house looked beautiful and festive, decorated with hundreds of fairy lights and carefully arranged sprigs of holly among the tinsel and glass baubles.

Eager to help out and not give Anne any extra labour, Geoff dived into being her kitchen assistant.  Intent on doing everything he could to make it as smooth a day as possible.

Anne was most grateful for another pair of hands - Harry was still not yet a year old and needed a lot of attention from her, especially when it came to feeding time.

The problem was Des.

Whereas Geoff was only going out of his way to be helpful and show how thankful he was, Des saw it as the ex trying to worm his way back into her life and reignite a spark.  It troubled him.  Every time Anne smiled at her ex, thanked him, a tight knot of jealousy worried his insides.  As stable as he felt in their relationship, it was hard to feel completely comfortable when the product of his love's past sat between his doting parents in front of him.  Jealousy really was an ugly thing.

Des seethed all day.  Through presents, during dinner.  Every smile, every accidental touch gnawed at his nervous system.  As much as he wanted to enjoy the day with his family - he couldn't see past Geoff's offensive attempts to make himself look like the better man!

The last straw came when baby Harry refused to go down for his late afternoon nap - bawling his eyes out whenever Anne tried to lay him in his cot.

"Let me try," Geoff offered kindly as he held out his hands to take Harry.  

When Liam was a baby he had to be held at times in a certain way to get him settled - and Geoff had been the master.

"Aww Harry!  Baby bear!  Don't you cry," Geoff cooed as he gently rocked the red faced baby until the wails subsided into whimpers.

"Give me my son!" Des hissed viciously appearing at the man's side in an instant and making Geoff jump with surprise at the frosty tone.

"Stop trying to take what doesn't belong to you!" Des continued as he grabbed Harry and held him tightly to his chest.

"Des don't!" Anne begged, distraught at the outburst.  She slotted herself between her former partner and her husband.  "He was only trying to help..."

"Help himself to my family!"

Des was quivering with anger.  Harry, who could sense the angry atmosphere around him, began to wail once more, frightened although he didn't know why.

From the doorway Liam watched the scene unfold with wide apprehensive eyes.  Why was his step daddy shouting at his real daddy?  Why was daddy upset?  Why was mummy crying?  Why was Harry getting all the attention?

"Anne, love, I'm so sorry!" Geoff babbled.  "I never..."

"LIAR!" Des suddenly shouted, red in the face, shaking from head to toe.  He opened his mouth to say more but was silenced as Harry began to scream at the top of his little lungs.  Fighting back her tears, Anne scooped her baby out of her husband's arms and left the room, calling to her oldest son to follow her.  This was no place for children.

Liam didn't move.  He stayed frozen in the doorway and began to cry silently, clutching hold of his new Batman doll that he'd brought to show his daddy in the first place.

At first Geoff looked shocked, his mouth gaped, then closed into a tight line before he said something he didn't mean because he wanted to hurt the man he had just lost respect for.

"If it wasn't for Harry," Geoff bit out scornfully.  "Anne and I would still be together!  The only reason she's with you is because of that baby!"

"Get out of my house!" Des yelled.  He raised his fist, intent on punching that smug look off his competitors face.  But in a split second, something small and solid grabbed at his leg.

"Don't hurt my daddy!" Liam wailed at his feet before throwing himself into Geoff's arms.

"Get out of my house!" Des repeated, guilty from what he had almost done in front of Liam, but not wanting this man to be anywhere near his family.

"Don't worry, we're leaving!" Geoff snapped back, shifting his son in his arms who was crying into his neck.  "Come on Li, let's go and say goodbye to mummy and we can finish Christmas at my house.  I think Father Christmas has left some more presents for you there too!"

Liam nodded.  Inside his little brain was whirring.  He'd always wondered why his mummy and daddy didn't live together like his friends' parents did.  Now he knew why.

It was all Harry's fault!  Stupid baby Harry!

Even at his young age Liam had always been jealous that Harry got to see his daddy every day.  Sometimes it felt like forever before he got to see his!

 

After Geoff had left with Liam that Christmas Day, he never entered that house again.  Des wouldn't allow it, and as much as Anne wanted to please everyone, even she knew the two men who were both alphas (Des being the more possessive and territorial than his competitor) would never see eye to eye.

The most important priority to Anne as a mother was that Liam's life was as uninterrupted and normal as possible - even Des as a father couldn't begrudge Geoff of having a good relationship with his son, and the three adults worked hard to make sure that Liam spent as much time with his dad as he could.

It took a few months but eventually everyone involved settled into an acceptable and happy routine.  But there was one major change which wasn't apparent for quite a while, but blatantly obvious when recognised.

Liam no longer seemed to like Harry.

From the moment Liam heard his daddy utter those accusations about his little brother, Liam had seen Harry as the enemy.

It annoyed him how Harry would crawl as fast as he could to his daddy when Des got home from work.  He couldn't see his daddy every day.

He got upset when his mummy and Des would snuggle on the settee together watching television.  Mummy and his real daddy didn't even talk properly anymore.

It was all Harry's fault!

Even his best friend Louis stopped playing with him in favour of a game of peek-a-boo with the spoilt baby!

What was so special about him?  Why couldn't he just disappear?

So Liam ignored his little brother.  He stole toys off him and broke them on purpose, tugged at his stupid curls to make him cry only to dance off gleefully as he heard the child's wails grow louder.  Harry deserved it!  He should be unhappy!  He would never like his brother!

Poor Harry was so confused.  He loved his 'Leeum!' Why was he being so mean to him?  What had he done wrong?  Why didn't he want to cuddle with him, or play with him?  Would he ever be nice to him again?

But he still had 'Ooh-ee'!  Harry adored the little boy next door.  

But he missed his brother so much...

 

Eighteen year old Liam parked his car in the drive of his family home.  

For the last two days he had stayed at his dad's house for their special version of Christmas.  Now he was at his mum's to celebrate all over again, only this time with his mum, step dad and Harry.

As far back as he could remember, he had always had two individual Christmas days.  The first took place on the 22nd December with his dad, followed by their rendition of Boxing Day on 23rd.

Liam had known for many years that it was because his dad and Des hated each other - so much they couldn't remain civil to each other for one day of the year, not even on his birthday!

But this setup was fine.  He basically got the best of both worlds.  He got to spend a proper Christmas with his dad - just the two of them.  Then he got to spend actual Christmas with his mum, Des and his beloved little brother.  

 

Letting himself into the house Liam jogged straight upstairs and burst through the door to his little brothers' bedroom.  The sight before him was so comical and yet completely unsurprising.

Louis was standing in the middle of the room wearing a large pair of reindeer antlers and a comedy red nose.  

"Stretch your arm out further!" Harry was insisting from where he was clinging for dear life atop his best friends back.  "You're not getting my hat in!"

Louis rolled his eyes and stumbled a little as Harry wriggled and offset his balance.

"Why don't you just lean further forward?" he suggested with a grunt, and gripped tighter at Harry's thigh that was clamped around his waist.  They had been at this for so long that his arm that held the phone, was beginning to ache.

Red and white fur tickled his cheek from the Father Christmas hat stuck on top of Harry's head as the younger boy leant further forward.  This time the camera captured the entirety of Father Christmas and Rudolph complete with matching beaming smiles.

"Well aren't you two just precious!" Liam chuckled as he collapsed upon his brother's bed.  "You can just amuse each other for hours."

"How was your Christmas?" Harry asked as he slid off Louis' back and sat down on the bed next to his brother.

"It was great!" Liam enthused happily.  "We got a ton of Chinese food and watched Batman films back to back!"

"Very festive," Louis commented with a small smirk.  "You really captured the spirit of Christmas there!"

"I'm the spirit of Christmas!" Harry pretended to grumble, breaking into a laugh as Liam grabbed him into a brotherly hug.

"Anyway, now you're back," Louis interrupted as Harry dissolved into a fit of giggles from having his sides tickled, "are you ready to join us?  We're watching as many Christmas films as we can fit in.  So..." He held up two DVD cases.  "Home Alone or Nightmare Before Christmas?"

"Home Alone!" Harry squeaked out.  He jumped off the bed and scurried to the door.  "Don't start without me!" he demanded, and to make his point clear he wagged his finger at both of them.

"Where's he going?" Liam asked Louis who was sorting out seating arrangements.  Harry's bed was too small for the three of them to sit on it.  There used to be plenty of room, but they were so much bigger now than when they had started this tradition.

Louis rolled his eyes.

"Harry made you some of his special Christmas cookies." 

Liam grinned with satisfaction.  He loved Christmas.  He loved the special traditions he had with his dad and he equally loved the separate traditions he had with the rest of his family.  But a movie marathon with Louis and Harry - with his homemade Christmas cookies - on the night before Louis' birthday was probably at the top of his list.

 

"I'd better get going," Louis yawned.  He idly twisted a curl around his finger, which was attached to the head of the boy who had fallen asleep in his lap. "Harry?  Hazza?"

Louis gently stroked Harry's cheek until the younger boy stirred.  Liam watched silently.  He had never known two people to have a closer bond.  He wished he had a friendship like that.  It was almost impossible to believe that he had once been jealous and angry about such a beautiful friendship.

"Happy birthday Boo," were the first words out of Harry's mouth as he came to.  They sounded thick from sleep and muffled as they were mouthed straight into Louis' stomach.

Harry didn't properly wake up, just curled up in a smaller ball and allowed Louis to tuck him into bed.  

Louis of course would have preferred to stay - especially since it was his birthday the next day - but it was important to his mum that he woke up in his own bed on his birthday.  Jay loved being the first one to wish her son a happy birthday and make him a special breakfast - no matter how old Louis was, he would always be her precious baby Boo Bear!

 

Christmas Eve (and Louis' twentieth birthday) was wet, windy and freezing cold.  Glad that his best friend only lived next door to him, Louis shot into a sprint when he left his own front door, but still arrived at Harry's bedroom door soaking wet and shivering.

Harry didn't care either way.  He leapt upon the lad as soon as his face appeared in the doorway singing Happy Birthday at the top of his lungs and dragging him into the middle of his bedroom.

"What did you get for your birthday?" Harry asked, accidently shoving Louis a bit too hard with his excitement to make the lad sit down on his bed so he could clamber onto his lap.

It was just so adorable.  Louis loved his birthday, but Harry _loved_ birthdays - especially Louis'.  Every year - this one being no exception - Harry would turn his bedroom into a birthday grotto.  Balloons were scattered all over the floor, lights strung up around the ceiling, and a small pile of presents laid on his bed which Harry would be impatient for Louis to dive into.

"Mum got me a new mattress," Louis grinned at Harry, really pleased with his present.  "Now you won't get a bad back when you sleep over!"

"Uh huh, uh huh," Harry nodded, clearly not listening to what Louis had told him, his full attention on the beautifully wrapped gifts on his pillow, his eyes darting between them and Louis' amused face.

"Want me to open those?" Louis asked and playfully pinched Harry's dimple.  So eager to get the packages, Harry didn't even get off Louis to fetch them.  Instead he shoved hard at the older lads shoulder, knocking him down so he was laying on his back, Harry's knees bracketing his ribs as he reached over Louis' surprised face to grab them.  As Harry stretched, the baggy t-shirt he was wearing rucked up, his soft bare tummy exposed and brushed against Louis' nose.

"What's up Lou?" Harry asked anxiously, when he had slid back to sit atop Louis' thighs once more.  His best friend looked flustered and astonished.  "Did I hurt you? I'm so sorry!"

Louis shook his head as though he was trying to get water out of his ears.  That had been unexpected.  Something inside his tummy was fluttering... he could still feel where their skin had touched on the tip of his nose.  

"I'm fine love," Louis rushed to reassure the younger boy, who looked as though he was going to burst into tears at the thought that he had hurt Louis _on his birthday!_

The confusing sensation in his stomach could wait.

Harry handed Louis his first package, even the curls on top of his head quivered with excitement and anticipation.  Louis bit his lip to stifle a snort of laugher, and pretended to struggle with the Sellotape until Harry moaned at him for taking too long!  He did it on purpose and Harry knew it.  It was a running joke between them, one that Louis intended to keep going year after year.

As always Harry's presents were all very thoughtful, simple and well chosen.

There was a package of his favourite selection of sweets, a 'Doncaster Rovers' supporter window sticker for his car and a CD that Harry had compiled himself with all of their joint favourite songs on it.

Before he was allowed to open the final present, Harry presented Louis with a homemade birthday card.  This would be stuck up on the older lad's wall as soon as he got home, alongside the twelve previous years cards.  Harry had been making him his birthday card since he was three years old - you would have thought the handwriting would have gotten neater during that space of time!

"Hey!" Harry pouted as Louis jokily voiced his thoughts about his penmanship - which was obviously not the scribble of a toddler. "You can't be mean to me!  You haven't even opened your _special_ present yet!"

Louis held up the CD Harry had given him. The cover had been designed and hand drawn into a cool and edgy pattern with lots of bold colours.  Harry had told him that it was to capture Louis' personality in art.  Then he had laughed because he sounded like a 'pretentious art student!'

"I thought this was my special present.  I love this.  It's going straight onto my iPod, I needed a new playlist, and this is perfect!"

Harry preened.  His next words bubbled out of his mouth, far too happy and excited to wait for them to be spoken properly.

"Then you're going to love this then!  I tried so hard to get you the perfect present... and..." he trailed off with a little bounce that shook the bed.  "Open it! Open-open-open!" Harry badgered and whipped the CD out of his hands in order to shove a small, squishy wrapped gift into them.

Louis grinned fondly at his favourite boy.  How had he ever become so lucky to have someone in his life as amazing and exquisite as Harry?  

It was so endearing that Harry really thought that the perfect gift for Louis was inside this tiny package for his birthday at the age of twenty.  His favourite present had been delivered to him years ago.  It wasn't for his birthday or Christmas and Louis treasured it more and more each day that passed, the novelty never wearing off. The date had been the 1st February 1994 - Harry's birthday.  

The most perfect present for Louis had been and always would be Harry himself.

 

"Oy!"

Harry snapped his fingers in front of Louis' face until the dreamy and blissful expression had vanished.  Now was not the time to be away with the fairies!

Sheepish with his smile, Louis ran his fingers over the wrappings to find the Sellotape, then ripped it open since Harry was pretty much salivating!

The present fell into his lap.  Harry immediately fell silent as he held his breath and bit his lower lip.  The excitement that had flowed through his veins had turned into anxious apprehension in the blink of an eye.  What if Louis hated it?

A numbness tingled at the tips of his fingers as Harry watched Louis pick his present up and look at it from all angles.  Why wasn't he saying anything?

It was made from the softest of wool, designed to colour match everything in Louis' wardrobe and lovingly crafted by Harry's own hands.  The stitches were a bit uneven in places where Harry was inexperienced with the tools involved, and he was disappointed that the standard was nowhere near as fancy as the one he had first set eyes upon, but Harry had given it his best effort - and if he was honest the beanie hat Louis now held in his hands was the accomplishment that Harry was most proud of.

Would he have gone to this much effort for anyone else?  He wanted to say yes, but he probably wouldn't.

Louis had instantly loved the hat as soon as he had held it up to see it properly.  

For starters it held all his "style" essentials - smart enough to wear to a photoshoot, yet just as casual to wear to the footie.  The thick and chunky knit made the garment feel so cosy and soft when he rubbed it against his cheek.  Even wool was coloured to the lad's taste, for it was marbled in different shades of white, grey and black that created the effect of speckled granite.

"Haz!  I love this!" he exclaimed, both his tone and body language simply oozing with approval.  "This is the best beanie I've ever seen!  I'm gonna look the absolute dogs in this!"

Harry was absolutely delighted.  He half wanted to break into his 'happy dance' right there and then!

Wanting to try it on as soon as possible Louis thumbed it open, but just as he was about to jam it upon his head, Harry grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"Look inside!" the younger boy almost squeaked.

Cocking an inquisitive eyebrow, Louis peered inside the hat.  At first he was confused - there was nothing inside apart from a manufacturing label.  But then he saw what Harry had wanted to show him, and he could swear he felt his heart swell inside his chest.

Written in small and neat capital letters on a little white fabric label sewn into the seam were the words _'Made especially for Louis.  Love Harry'._

"You made this?" Louis gasped out loud dumbly, before examining it with even more attention to detail.  "This is incredible love!  I didn't know you could knit!"

"It was more of a hook and weave," Harry explained.  He was buzzing with happiness over Louis' reaction - which had been even better than he had imagined.  "It was Cagg's idea, she showed me how, but I made it _all by myself!"_ he stated proudly and launched into a full explanation of exactly how he'd made it. _  
_

Louis listened with rapt attention.  So this is what Harry had been doing with Caroline when he had chosen to stay over at her house - he had really been making his birthday present.  Such a Harry thing to do, Louis had been in the boy's thoughts the entire time.

Once the beanie was snuggly deposited atop Louis' head and admired from every angle, Harry pulled his best friend to his feet.

"Where are we going?" Louis asked as he was bustled out into the hall and downstairs to where Liam was already waiting with his coat on.

"Ready?" Liam asked with a wink in Harry's direction.  He turned to his oldest friend and gave him a big hug.  "Happy birthday mate."

Louis grinned and followed the brothers to where Liam's car was parked.

"So where are we going?" he asked once they were on the road.  He reached behind his seat.  Harry had insisted Louis sit up front with Liam so he was in the backseat behind - Louis really wanted to hold his hand.  When he felt his fingers grasped by Harry's large and familiar paw, Louis' brow creased when he recognised the same fluttering sensation he'd experienced earlier when Harry's bare stomach had grazed his nose.  

What was that?

His musings were ceased when Liam finally pulled into their town's carpark.

"Come on Lou!  We've got people waiting!" Harry sang out.  "Don't dawdle!"

As they strode into town Louis wondered self-consciously if anyone would recognise them and if Liam had considered it too, especially when he realised they were heading towards his favourite pizza chain restaurant.

"We're in the function room downstairs," Harry whispered to Louis as Liam ushered them through the front door and ushered them towards the stairs at the back.

Certain that a few faces had turned their way, Louis kept his head down - thankful for his new beanie, and tried to ignore the sound of camera shutters.  He wasn't usually shy in fan meeting situations - but he was feeling rather odd.  Ever since Harry had dropped his fingers to get out of the car, his hand had felt empty... and he wasn't sure why.

A raucous chorus of 'Happy Birthday' started up as Louis sauntered first into their private function room.

"Oy-oy!" he called back, delighted when he recognised the faces of his favourite friends all settled around the huge table - he didn't miss the tidy pile of presents either.

Niall and Zayn were there of course, along with Stan, Oli and Calvin who he had been friends with since school.  He didn't see them very often now he was constantly on tour or on a promotional trip, but he was very pleased that someone had thought to invite them.

If Louis thought he was just here for lunch he was sorely mistaken.  

After wishing Louis a happy birthday, Niall explained to the table that since it was an 'all you can eat' situation from their private buffet, the aim was to have a friendly competition on who could eat the most slices.  The winner would get a free meal!

"Don't go mad," Louis whispered quietly to Harry, who was of course sitting next to him.  Harry was much smaller than the rest of his friends - and the last thing wanted was for Harry to eat more than he could manage and make himself sick for the sake of a silly competition.

"Stop worrying and eat your pizza," Harry brushed off his concerns with a wave of his hand.  "Niall's already on his forth slice!"

"This was his idea wasn't it?" Louis asked through the final bite of his second slice.  "That lad is an eating machine!"

True to Louis' prediction, Harry ate about four slices before he deemed himself uncomfortable.  

Seeing his boy rubbing his tummy almost made Louis want to stop just so Harry wouldn't be the only one not eating - besides he was on his twelfth slice (Niall had just started his sixteenth!).

One by one each of the lads dropped out of the race - leaving only Niall and Louis.  As much as the birthday boy loved pizza, even he was unsure he could face another bite!

"How many slices have you had?" Louis asked as he contemplated his next - and seventeenth - slice.

"Twenty-two!" Niall replied with a grin.  His answer made most of the lads around the table groan at the thought.

"Fuck it!" Louis laughed and pushed his plate away.  There was no way he was going to be able to catch up with Niall and overtake him!  "You win Ni!  Like I could compete with you!"

Niall fist pumped at his victory, then helped himself to another slice.

"Aren't you full?" Zayn asked him in amazement who had watched mesmerised at every bite Niall had taken.

"Nooo," Niall scoffed.  "Just warming up!"

 

The rest of their time at the restaurant went exactly to Louis' liking.  

It felt good to have a laugh with his lads again, it had been too long since they had spent quality time together - in fact he was too consumed with his work and Harry that Louis was embarrassed to admit that he simply hadn't given them much of a thought.

The standard of chat with his school friends was much different from the conversations he had with Harry and his band mates.  They were such different personalities that the only similarity the two groups shared was their friendship with Louis.

Liam knew the guys pretty well since he had hung out with them a few times at school, and must have been the one to be able to invite them in the first place.  Harry however knew them by face, but for a few reasons Louis had always preferred to keep Harry away from them.

Harry had always been confused by this.  It didn't go unnoticed how Louis wouldn't invite him over for the evening if any of the lads were coming around to hang out after school, or how Louis would pull the younger boy in the opposite direction if they spotted them out and about in town.  Was it an age thing?  Did they tease Louis for being friends with someone like him?  Did he embarrass his best friend in front of the 'cool' alpha males? 

So that day, sitting beside Louis and listening in to what cool alphas talked about was very intriguing to Harry.  

To say that seeing Louis' interaction with Calvin, Oli and Stan was an eye-opener was an underestimate.

For starters Harry noticed that Louis developed a personality glitch.  He was still the wonderful part of Louis that he adored, he was still the bundle of fun and frolics that made him the favourite in the eyes of his band mates.  But then there was this other side of Louis that Harry really didn't recognise.

When Louis talked to Harry, the younger boy would always have his full attention.  His blue eyes would never stray from Harry's face, searching it so intimately, actively listening to every word so that he caught every fleeting emotion.  Even the ones Harry didn't display aloud, because Louis was sensitive around him.  He was sweet and attentive.  His glances were soft, his tone was loving and his laugh was genuine and warm.

When he was with the band Louis was an extension of how he was with Harry - just a little more rough and tumble.

With this group of friends, Louis could not be more different.  It was as though his alpha side had consumed his entire personality.

When he conversed with the lads everything about Louis was large.  His accent was broader, his gesturers and body language was exaggerated and wild.  His eyes never settled in one place, but darted erratically all over the place.  Even his laugh was so uncharacteristically deep and booming that Harry stared with astonishment the first time he'd heard it.  He looked to his brother to see if he noticed anything amiss, relieved when he saw that Liam, Niall and Zayn all looked a bit curious at how their mate was acting.

"It's like he's morphed into the Louis you read about in the tabloids!" Harry heard Niall hiss at Zayn along with a knowing look.  Zayn rolled his eyes and nodded.  All you needed to go with this Louis was a blonde omega and it was pretty much a _Sun_ exclusive!

Feeling a little bit funny in his stomach, Harry quietly excused himself from the table.  He just wanted to have a little space to breathe, splash some water on his face, try and get his face to display some kind of happy expression.

But he needn't have feared.  Although he could hear 'loud' Louis from outside the closed door, walked back in to find him discussing Donny Rovers latest match with Calvin, Oli and Stan over a beer and completely invested in their discussion.  The part of Louis who could sense his presence had automatically reached out an arm as Harry went to return to his seat.  Without pausing mid-sentence, Louis effortlessly plucked Harry off his feet in order to sit him on his lap.  

For both of them it was the most natural occurrence in the world.  Breathing a sigh of contentment Harry instantly felt more comfortable and leant back against the older lad's chest, relaxed and at ease.  As long as his best friend kept this side of him, he could be as loud and outrageous as he wanted.

As if he could read his mind, Louis hooked his chin over Harry's shoulder.  He still made wild gestures about balls going into goals, but now with just one hand instead of two - the other being wrapped around his boy's waist, gently caressing Harry's full, soft tummy with loving fingers.

It was obvious that what Harry and Louis considered normal behaviour was not something Calvin, Oli and Stan were familiar with.  Maybe they weren't very tactile people.  Whatever the reason, this type of friendship seemed indeed foreign to them.

Louis openly cuddled Harry in his lap and missed the exchanging questionable glances between the alphas opposite.  Why did they always have to be touching each other?  The rest of the lads weren't like that!

Choosing to ignore it, Stan rather pointedly started to ask Louis about all the beautiful omega girls he had been pictured with in the tabloids, and which was the best 'buck'?

"What's a buck?" Harry asked a very embarrassed Louis curiously, then judging by the sniggers of the lads, wished he hadn't.  

'So does Louis.' Harry thought dejectedly.  The lad he idolised actually looked like he wanted to sink though the floor as a result of Harry's stupid question!  Harry felt so embarrassed he thought he was going to cry.  He had ruined Louis' birthday because he was such a baby and didn't know all these cool, grown up terms!

"It means fuck," Stan told the child-like looking boy helpfully.  Was he actually going to start crying?  His lower lip looked like it was beginning to wobble!  "In the sexual sense!"

Stan had to explain that bit, there was no way this kid was getting any...

Beside him Oli and Calvin both tried to subdue their sniggers as the curly haired cherub's cheeks turned a bright embarrassed pink.  They didn't mean any harm towards the kid, they just never understood Louis' fascination with him.  He was so young, so squeaky clean, angelic and so shy - everything their Tommo was not!

Each of them wondered why after all these years Louis still kept him around.  The two lads were like chalk and cheese in their opinion.  What were they missing?  There must be a good reason.  Was he a good wingman or something?  Did his cute little smile provoke the maternal instincts in beautiful omegas?  Was this how Tommo got his birds?

 

"We'd better get going," Louis announced regretfully after another hour had passed by.  He grinned at his school mates.  Once he'd managed to steer them away from the topic of how many girls he'd hooked up with, Louis had really enjoyed catching up. "It's been great to see you again lads! We'll go see Donny play soon yeah?"

Harry slunk to Liam's side as 'bro hugs' were exchanged and Louis said goodbye to his 'squad'.  He hated himself for thinking it, but he was glad he had never spent time with those guys before.  They might be cool, they might be fully fledged alphas, and Louis might like them.  But all they reminded him of was Eleanor, and just like she had they had introduced him to a side of Louis he had been happier not knowing.

"Hey Tommo," Stan called after Louis as he went to follow his bandmates out the door.  "That's a cool hat.  Get me one?"

There wasn't a hint of irony in his tone.  Harry's ears pricked up, wondering what Louis would respond with.

"Sorry mate.  This is one of a kind," Louis grinned, forgetting to act loud and laddy out of fondness.  "Harry made this especially for my birthday.  It's one hundred percent unique - just like he is!"

Stan's keen eyes and quick brain absorbed the scene in front of him.  Harry blushed and fidgeted.  Louis smiled warmly, took up the boy's hand in his own and led him out of the room.

"I think our Tommo is in love with the kid," Stan murmured to Calvin and Oli.

"No way.  He grills more birds than George Foreman!" Oli scoffed.  "You do read the papers right?  Tommo isn't gay!"

"Maybe the papers have got it wrong," Stan mused, certain of what he had just seen.  "They're not exactly reliable sources are they?  Did you see how Lou was just looking at him?"

Oli shook his head.  "Absolutely not, you're reading too much into it.  They're just friends - don't know why.  That Harry has always seemed like a right little wimp!"

"I quite like him," Stan commented vaguely as he thought about various memories of the pair he'd seen over the years.  "There's something about him that just seems to fit Lou.  Do you think they're actually together?  Louis got awfully shady when I brought up those girls!"

Oli was getting irritated.  "He's not gay!" 

Rolling his eyes Calvin summed it up for both of his friends with one simple sentence.

"Who gives a shit who he likes as long as he's happy right?"

With a nod of their heads Oli and Stan instantly agreed.  Even though Oli was convinced he was 'way off the mark', Stan was positive he was right.  In all the years he had known the lad, he had never seen Louis look at anyone the way he had just gazed at Harry.

In his mind one thing was certain.  That curly haired kid was one lucky son of a bitch!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter six!!
> 
> First of all "Merry Christmas!" Hope you have all had a wonderful time and really enjoyed your day. Wishing you lots of love, health and happiness for the festive period and the new year!
> 
> Secondly, it has been completely overwhelming how kind and generous you have all been with your support to this story. The kudos, subscribers, comments and viewing count has been unbelievable and we are so grateful to you all who take the time to indulge us by reading and leaving your stamp of approval no matter which way.  
> Thank you so much for your kindness and hope you enjoy this instalment.
> 
> Take care, lots of love xxx

_ _

Harry Aged 15

Louis Aged 20

Liam Aged 18

_This has got to be the most shit idea you've ever had! Epic fail!_

Liam read the text message Louis had just secretly sent him and frowned.  Why was his mate sending him texts?  He was sitting four foot away from him!

Liam's eyebrows twitched with confusion and he fumbled to put his phone away whilst looking over to where Louis was.

The living room was mostly in darkness, the only light coming from the flicker of pictures on the television and the gentle glow from the fairy lights on his families Christmas tree - but Liam could clearly see the thundering glare Louis was throwing at him.

Liam shrugged in response, completely nonplussed, but then his gaze drifted to the huddled Harry shaped ball quaking in Louis' lap and his mouth formed a silent 'O' of recognition.

Mouth pressed into a slit of a line, Louis' eyes narrowed meaningfully.  He then shook his head at his friend, before all his attention was taken up by the smallest whimper coming from his lap, and a sweaty hand fisted his t-shirt.

 

All Liam had to do had been to pick the film!  He could have picked a Marvel feature, or a comedy... but no.  Liam thought tonight would be the best time to watch _The_ (sodding) _Notebook_ for the first time!

Louis who had seen it before immediately vetoed the suggestion.  

This wasn't just a romantic yet tragic love story.  

This film was the most tear jerking, sob inducing, heartwarming yet devastating romantic masterpiece Louis had ever seen - if it had made him shed a tear, Harry was going to be a blubbering wreck!  Harry was too young to fall in love, yet alone have to see this beautiful story unfold in front of his innocent eyes.

"Ooh this will be good!" Harry had enthused to Louis' dismay as he bounced over to the DVD player.  "I love Ryan Gosling!  He's so good!"

"Then we should watch _Crazy, Stupid Love_!" Louis said as he tried another tactic.  "It even has the awkward guy from _The Office_ in it - you love him Haz!  Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling in the _same_ film!"

It was clear Harry was torn as he nibbled on his bottom lip and glanced between his best friend and the door to the kitchen where Liam was preparing snacks.

"That guy is really funny..." Harry debated slowly, urged by Louis' convinced tone and nodding head.  "But Li got _The Notebook_ especially and he   _really_ wants to watch it with us.  He'll be so disappointed if we put on something else, and I really don't want to upset him... again."

Louis groaned internally.  He should have guessed that would have cropped up.  He knew that the two brothers hadn't always gotten along well growing up - he'd observed most of it first hand - and sometimes it seemed as though Harry still felt like he had to jump through hoops in order to please his elder brother.

"We'll watch your film next time," Harry promised faithfully desperate to please everyone in equal measures.  He looked around his living room.  "Where do you want to sit?" he asked as he grabbed his favourite fleecy blanket and looked up into Louis' face expectedly.

Louis made a show of rolling his eyes with a deadpan expression.  "Next to you of course," he stated obviously as his face cracked into an eye crinkling smile and proceeded to tickle every inch of Harry's squeamish sides until the younger lad fell to the ground.  

It was such a beautiful sight.  Harry rolling around on the floor, head lolling from side to side as he feebly hit out to stop Louis' relentless fingers from digging into his ribs.  

"Ha!  Gotcha now!" Louis crowed, nimbly straddling Harry's narrow hips and laughed at how he could feel the lad's legs kicking out with no effect. He grabbed Harry's wrists with both of his hands and stretched out his torso to slam them against the soft carpeted floor above his head.

It was suddenly all so intimate.  As Louis' fingers closed around Harry's delicate wrists and stretched to pin his best friend down, his bum slid backwards down his thighs, his knees gripped at wriggling hips, their stomachs pressed together.  

Louis could swear he felt the world around him stop turning as he found his face only millimetres away from Harry's - his sweet cherub cheeks dimpled, eyes closed, lips stretched into a toothy grin as he laughed, a stray curl tickled his forehead they were so close.

Harry was just so beautiful and uninhibited and the realisation of their close proximity made Louis' mischievous expression transform into one of undiluted fondness, only enhanced as Harry's laughter relaxed into a lazy smile and his crystal clear eyes blinked open.  

"Oh!" Louis breathed with surprise as he felt the fluttering of a thousand butterflies take flight from within his tummy, eyes dilating as he zoned in upon how perfectly shaped Harry's bottom lip was formed, how pretty it was shaded pink, how smooth he believed it would be textured... against his own... it was almost like he was seeing it for the first time.  Was he actually salivating?  Was his heart actually beating faster?  What would Harry's lips taste like if he was to just pucker his own and press...

A small giggle and a wetness on the tip of his nose broke the spell Louis had fallen under.

"Boop!" Harry whispered adorably.  Louis had looked so dopy lying on top of him and the opportunity to lick his nose had just been too much of a temptation.  Clearly his best friend had something on his mind judging by how rapidly a blush was spreading over his cheeks - probably embarrassed by how Harry was trapped under him but still able to attack without even using his hands or feet!

Harry was the master of cunning!

Or was he?

"Are you ok Lou?" Harry asked, the smile fading from his face as he noticed how distant and slightly shell shocked the older alpha was.  He was so confused.  He'd been fine a minute ago and now it was like Louis was in another headspace entirely.

 

"Oh, not again!" Liam groaned as he strode into the living room equipped with a large tray filled with drinks and sandwiches.  These two could not be trusted to remain civilised for even ten minutes!  Trying to hide his amusement with one of false disdain, Liam deposited said tray on the coffee table and made a grab for his mate with both hands.  

"Hey!" Louis squawked indignantly as Liam unceremoniously lifted him high into the air, one hand grasping the neck of his t-shirt, the other wedged into the waistband of his jeans.  "What the fuck Li!"

"Swear jar!" Harry scrambled up, delighted as Liam swung Louis around in the air and dropped him in a heap on top of the settee with a groan, then a yelp when Harry decided to jump on top of him and begin his own tickle assault.

"I'm more than happy to sit between you both!" Liam warned as the two troublemakers broke apart at his threat and almost looked too angelic for words as they gazed innocently up at him with almost identical smiles.  

Because there were two of them Harry and Louis got the settee - although considering how close together they cuddled up they would probably be equally happy in a single armchair.

The opening credits started.  Liam snapped off the main lights so that only the Christmas tree lights twinkled in the background, then got comfortable in his chair with his favourite sandwich and a large drink.

"If you hate it just fall asleep." Louis murmured into Harry's ear who sat as close as possible to Louis, his cheek already pressed to the older lad's shoulder with the arm furthest away from his best friend curled around Louis' waist.

"Stop worrying," Harry smiled at him in reassurance.  Then turned more thoughtful.  "Are you staying over tonight?"

Louis nodded instantly.   _After you've seen this film?  Most definitely!,_ he thought to himself darkly.

 

Harry had begun to weep long before the final credits with Louis noticing immediately - and it pissed him off because he knew it was going to happen!

The more upset the boy became, the smaller the ball he curled himself became until his head was nestled into the side of Louis' rib cage as both his arms hugged the older lad so tightly his knuckles were almost white.

It was difficult to know what to do.  Louis wanted to grab the remote, switch off the offending film, feign innocence and blame the DVD player - just to stop his poor Hazza from having to watch such sadness. But then again he didn't feel right about being so over-protective over his boy that he was pretty much dictating what films he watched.  Louis did not want to be that kind of alpha!

So - very painfully - Louis glared at Liam throughout as he pet Harry's shivering curls and waited for it to be all over!

As much as Harry pretended he was fine when Liam switched the lights back on, there was no denying red eyes that squinted, wet cheeks and a bottom lip that wobbled as he let Liam give him a big goodnight cuddle and then Louis lead him up to bed.

"Let's watch something funny!" Louis suggested - as always for his special lad's benefit - since Harry had been very subdued since the final scenes of _The_ _Notebook_.  Louis was concerned that if the boy went to sleep with that story playing on his mind he would have nightmares like he had experienced after _Titanic_ \- another bright idea of Liam's!

Harry was perched on the side of his bed, elbows rested on his knees, head hung in an utterly exhausted fashion.  Louis checked his watch, it was pretty late already and due to Christmas they had been burning the candle at both ends - Louis could function fine on just a few hours sleep, Harry?  Not so much.

"Haz?  You know it's just a story right?" Louis asked carefully, crouched at Harry's feet and used his index finger to trace a line along his boy's jaw.

Sleepy red eyes dragged their gaze up from the floor.  Half of him felt sluggish and hazy, the other a nervous bundle of static. He couldn't quite put his finger on it but that film had tapped into a section of his subconscious and was feeding deep and dark fears he hadn't even known he'd had.

"Haz?  Babe?  Talk to me?"

 _Babe?  That was new,_   Harry thought to himself as his forehead creased slightly in question.

"Harry?"

Gentle hands cupped Harry's cheeks.  Thumbs brushed away two tiny tears and Harry felt a good deal of his tension evaporate from him as he finally let himself gaze into the clear oasis of sincerity that swam in both the shallows and the depths of Louis' eyes.  

"Tired," Harry muttered, revealing only a bit of what he really felt.  "Sleep now?"

Louis opened his mouth slightly to speak, but knew by Harry's lacklustre expression that the younger lad wasn't going to share what he was actually thinking about - he could make a pretty good guess though.

"Ok," he agreed and dressed his face with an encouraging smile.  "Arms up love.  Want to wear my shirt to sleep in?"

If Harry agreed to this, Louis would know he was about to be at his most clingy and needy without trying to be too obvious - if you called yourself someone's best friend for fifteen years and couldn't pick up these kinds of character traits, one really didn't deserve the title!  

One little thing Louis had learnt over the years was that Harry liked sleeping in his clothes when he was upset.  Why?  Louis had no idea, maybe he liked the smell of his fabric softener or something... but that didn't explain why he preferred the clothes straight off of his back... he guessed it was just one of Harry's quirks and never had the heart to question it.

With a small nod, Harry stretched his arms up high.  Feeling sympathetic, Louis rubbed their noses together softly as his nimble fingers pinched the hem of Harry's t-shirt, ever so careful as he pulled it up over the curly lad's head and chucked it into the far corner.  The cool air upon his bare skin made Harry shiver slightly, but before he had time to feel cold Louis was easing his own larger t-shirt over his head and pulling it down snugly to cover his torso.

With a faint but grateful smile, Harry shimmied out of his jogging bottoms, kicked them off his feet and slid under the covers.  His faux happy exterior didn't last long though.

Louis tried not to let his face respond to how sad his boy looked as he cuddled into his pillow, and focused on shedding his own trousers so he could scramble into bed beside him and snap off the bedside light.

Just as he always did when they first got into bed, Louis lay on his back, his right arm curled around his head and instantly used his left to coax Harry to cuddle into the little nook between his chin and his shoulder, and mould into his side from the ankles upwards, the younger lad's arm a comforting weight across his stomach.  

But all was not well.  

There was an obvious tremor to Harry's fingers where he gripped his shirt and he wasn't talking at all - the younger lad always like a little pillow talk before they fell asleep, as did Louis.

"What if I never find that?" Harry asked with a mumble and a wriggle to push himself more firmly into Louis' side.

"Find what love?"  Louis shifted onto his side, his hands automatically going to cup his boy's face, hoping his touch would calm the rising tension in the atmosphere.

"That!" tears welled up in Harry's eyes as a wave of emotional thoughts pushed to the forefront of his mind.  "Love.  What if I never find it?  What if nobody wants me?  What if when I die I'm alone and scared?"  

Poor Harry sobbed the last part of his sentence as he clung to Louis so tightly, the elder alpha worried for the stability of his bones.

"I don't want to die alone!" Harry choked out, hot tears streaming down his nose and caught upon Louis' bare shoulder.  "I don't want to be scared!  I don't want..."

"Hey!" Louis rushed to comfort Harry, his thoughts and tone fierce with emotion and sandwiched Harry's red, swollen cheeks between his palms.  "You are not going to die alone!  You are going to be so giddy and deep in love that everyone else is going to be jealous that they don't have it!"

"No-one likes me!" Harry squeaked out somewhat hysterically.  "Nobody wants me!"

The feeling of his precious boy quaking in his arms had Louis' heart tied in knots.

"Harry I love you so much," he insisted and rocked Harry gently in his arms, peppered kisses into his hair.  "I will never let you be alone, I will never sit by and let you feel scared.  I will always be there for you."

Too upset to speak, Harry just clung to his best friend, too scared to sleep, yet too emotionally drained to stay awake.  Louis' comfort was constant though.  He whispered statements of strength - all of which he believed to be true - cuddled and nuzzled Harry until long after the younger lad had ceased to cry, and was instead making the most adorable little sniffles in his sleep.

Even though he was certain the younger boy would be fine, Louis himself felt a little on edge and unsatisfied.

Louis had told Harry he loved him - but he doubted the lad had grasped what he'd actually meant.  

 _One day he'll understand,_ Louis thought to himself as he kissed Harry's curls.   _One day he'll know.  One day..._

 

 _Harry felt his body rising to the surface of_ _consciousness.  It was morning.  He'd made it through another night.  His eyelids rolled back from his eyes, letting in shards of light.  Harry woke to a hazy, silent room, colours spinning and rolling amid the cool dark waves._

_"Good morning," he heard a quiet voice sing, then a whisper light touch danced across his cheek._

_Harry rolled his head to the side to see a blurred yet angelic face hovering near him.  It seemed almost otherworldly._

_"It's just me.  Our family is in the waiting room."  The angel's voice was hushed and warbled, as if he were talking underwater.  His face came closer, its handsome features washing in and out of focus.  "They'll only let two people in here at a time to see you now.  I wasn't supposed to stay the whole night, but they couldn't drag me away from you."_

_Harry couldn't smile even though he wanted to.  He stared up at the angel through the cocoon of water that encased him, his face was shimmering in the waves.  "Not... scared," he murmured, the air whistling in and out of his lungs.  Harry paused.  The effort it took to speak seemed to strain nearly every muscle in his body.  "Ready."_

_The tips of his fingers were pressed to something soft - a pair of lips._

_"You're so brave, Haz.  The bravest man I've ever known."_

_Harry's eyes rolled upward and caught a grey shadow on the ceiling before darkness passed over them._

_"I don't know if I could be so strong," Harry heard a deep voice say.  A careful hand stroked his cheek gently.  Harry wasn't strong, but his angel was.  Without his strength, Harry was sure he would never have made it this far._

_"You," Harry replied weekly, the light coming back in dim bursts, "are."_

_The angel - Harry's angel - leaned over him and stared deeply into his eyes, his loving gaze penetrated the murky waters surrounding his body.  "Only when I'm with you."_

_A wave took him, buoying his body up, then down in the current, first hot, then cool.  Harry was letting go, letting his body be taken and not fighting against the wave._

_"Angel," he gasped breathlessly, searching for his face in the shifting light.  "Louis?"_

_"What?" the familiar voice came again.  "What is it baby?"_

_"Kiss..." a wheezing breath shook Harry's body.  "One... last... time..."_

_Water drops fell on his face.  "It won't be the last Haz, I promise."_

_Soft, warm lips pressed against his.  Love and tenderness pulsed through his body as Harry melted into the indescribable sweetness of the kiss.  He closed his eyes, losing himself in the steady rhythm of another heartbeat joined with his.  He savoured the feathery breath on his cheek, the strength of the loving embrace.  For one brief moment, the pain was gone, and he was happy._

_"Don't... forget," Harry tried to cry, but it took more energy than he had._

_"Never," his angel promised huskily.  His eyes opened wide, blue eyes, so deep and beautiful.  "I love you Harry... I'll always love you.  I always have... I always will."_

_"Love...," Harry breathed, the word vibrating around him.  He felt arms around him, loving arms, guiding him... where?  Harry was held close to a beating heart, and he felt his breaths come in time with another's.  Then the angel's lips found his once more._

_Cool waves of consciousness washed over Harry, layer upon layer, building on itself.  He felt his body go slack as he sunk deeper and deeper into the watery depths, with no hope of resurfacing._

 

Harry inhaled a sharp breath as his eyes popped open, awakening from his slumber. He was ok.  He wasn't in hospital dying.  He was at home and in his bed.  He was fine.

So why was his heart beating so fast?  Why didn't he feel fine?  Why were the memories of his dream replaying in his mind so vividly?

It actually felt as though he had just flashed forward into his future.  But how could that be?

In this dream he had been  _with_ Louis!  Louis, his best friend!  Louis, who's chest was plastered to his back as he held him so close, nose buried in Harry's hair, fingers spanning his stomach even in sleep.

Thinking hard and feeling slightly dazed, Harry placed his own hand carefully over Louis' and gently squeezed.  Behind him, Louis shifted slightly and hooked a leg over Harry's shin.  Harry's breath hitched.  It was such a normal interaction for the two of them, but for some reason now it seemed to mean so much more.

 _One last kiss_.  Harry remembered, his mind whirring a mile a minute.   That was what had been his last request.  One last kiss from his...   _husband_?

But Harry hadn't even had his first kiss yet!  With anybody!  Was this a premonition?  Was something trying to tell him that he was going to be with Louis?  

That was crazy!

Or was it?

Harry loved Louis immensely - more than he could ever imagine loving anyone else.  When he thought about his future the only part he was certain about was Louis being there with him - it was something he had never questioned before, but now he couldn't think of anything else.  What would their future hold?

Then there was that kiss in his dream.  Fair enough it hadn't actually happened - and Harry didn't have anything to compare it to - but it had felt... not exactly magical... but like home... just how he felt whenever Louis held him in his arms... just like he felt now.

The urge to turn around became too strong to ignore any longer, and that was when Harry started to question if he was still dreaming, because for probably the first time ever, Harry had moved drastically in bed and Louis didn't wake up - who would always stir at even the slightest movement from his boy to check he was alright.

Not this time.

The sight of his best friend from within his newfound headspace made Harry's stomach flip flop.

Moonlight shone through his window, basking Harry's bedroom in silvery, unnatural light.  Upon Louis' bare skin, the elder alpha looked almost pearlescent, the only shadows on his face cast by his own fringe and eyelashes.

Harry didn't realise he was holding his breath until he was struggling to breathe.

This wasn't just because of the moon, he really was seeing Louis in a whole new light.  It really did feel like he was properly seeing his future for the first time.

But would Louis feel the same way?  Was he being ridiculous?  Was he reading too much into his subconscious thoughts?

After all it was just a dream...

How would he ever find out the truth from reality without being embarrassing and sounding stupid?

 

Harry lost track of the time he spent gazing at Louis' sleeping face, rehashing every aspect of his dream that he could recall, analysing every bit of it.

Something was nagging at him.  Something which at first he thought was unrelated, but then realised that it could possibly be the one thing to answer every question that was buzzing madly within his brain.

New Year's Eve.  

People kissed on New Year's Eve.

What would Louis say if he kissed him?  After all, if the older lad objected, he could just say it was because of New Year... or... it could be the start of something else entirely...

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 7!  
> Happy New Year!!!  
> Hope you've had a wonderful start to 2016 and enjoy the next chapter! Thank you so much for taking the time to read this story - the feedback, kudos and subscribers has once again been overwhelming - it really does mean so much, and brings a lot of both squeals and happiness!  
> Lots of love xxx

Harry was of the opinion that all his best plans came to him within what he called 'The Moonlit Hours'.  

Usually he would be alone.  He would lay in his bed, gaze out of the window at the star speckled sky and either analyse events that had happened, or plot scenarios that could occur if he really wanted them to.

Safely tucked up in his bed with just his own thoughts, ideas and Boo for company, Harry would take something that had happened to him - someone being weird towards him at school, a piece of homework that went wrong, or a moment when he could have said something but just didn't.  Then he would imagine it with all sorts of different outcomes.  

In Harry's mind he was always that little bit braver than in real life, with quicker retorts, wittier remarks and was a lot more intelligent.

Boo the hedgehog was his confidant in 'The Moonlit Hours' - it really was just like having Louis right there beside him when the human version couldn't be, which comforted him in the darkness and helped him hatch amazing plans and ideas that seemed so plausible under the light of the moon.

But then the sun would begin to rise.  Warm, tiny particles of light would creep upon the land.  The inky blue blackness would fade into pastel purples and pinks of the early morning sunrise - and Harry's vivid imaginations of greatness and opportunity would melt away into something so faint and impractical, that even in his own mind they had turned into a whisper of a dream themselves.

This was exactly what happened the morning after Harry had experienced watching _The_ _Notebook_ for the first time, then dreamt that he was in a relationship with Louis.

For hours he stared at the elder alpha, trying to come up with plans on how to turn the vision he'd had into reality.  But as time ticked by and Louis' skin lost its silvery shimmer, colour warming, becoming textured in the morning light, Harry realised how ludicrous and time wasting his thoughts had been.

Himself and Louis in an actual relationship?  Louis would never look at him in that way.  Louis could have anyone he wanted.  From the comments he'd heard from the band and their entourage, Louis got everyone and everything he wanted.  Consistently.  Frequently.

Besides, Harry had only heard about Louis favouring female omegas.  Harry was not only male, but he hadn't even presented yet!  For all he knew he could turn out to be something that Louis had no use for.

Maybe being his best friend should just be enough for Harry.  Maybe it was just a silly dream after all, that had been brought on by watching a silly film.

With achingly tired eyes, Harry inspected his friend through his eyelashes.  

Over the years he had spent so much time looking at and thinking about this face, that he could easily recount every aspect of it from memory - possibly even easier than his own face.  Louis had always been handsome - to the extent that everyone alive appreciated it.

When he thought about it though, not everybody got to see Louis Tomlinson like this - quiet, sweet and vulnerable.  Not even the rest of the boys fell asleep with Louis for the elder lad never allowed it.  

With this on his mind Harry huffed out a small sigh and cuddled close to him.  After being awake half the night all his limbs were heavy with tiredness, and Louis' frame was so warm and inviting.  At least the stupid omega females didn't get this.  They didn't get to cuddle and snuggle with Louis whenever they wanted to - even if they did get things that Harry didn't completely understand yet - he sincerely hoped that he was the only one who got to be with Louis like this.  

If so, that would mean that Harry was special to the older man... even if he wouldn't see him as anything more than a friend.  

Was that enough?

Yes.  He decided with a loud yawn.  Harry was definitely getting the best deal, and he could be content with what he had.  After all why ruin something so good because of something he'd dreamt about?

Nosing into Louis' warm and comfortable neck Harry finally drifted off to sleep.  But whereas the plans he usually came up with disappeared into the depths of his memory - often to never resurface again - the vague fantasies of being Louis' significant other never fully went away.  It lingered... Harry didn't want it to go away either... secretly he hoped that his rational side was wrong and the dreamer inside would turn out to be real.

 

Harry and Louis made the most of One Direction being on holiday.  They went shopping together, had a kick about in the park, saw a couple of films at the cinema and spent almost every waking (and sleeping) moment together.  

As always they had so much fun with each other - even when fans discovered they were in the area and flocked around them for photos, hugs and a snatch of conversation.  

Ever the professional Louis never said no, but after he'd gotten around everyone clustered around him, he did usher Harry away pretty quickly.  He loved his fans - but this was his exclusive time with his Harry.

Every day when they arrived home from their day's adventures, Louis' doormat was always overflowing with small packages, letters and cards which had been hand delivered by fans whilst they were out - as was Harry's own with presents for Liam.  There were soft toys, games, homemade scrap books, letters - all carefully labelled with the givers Twitter handle, phone numbers or addresses.

"You should really follow them all back," Harry told him seriously one day after he had opened a letter on Louis' behalf, and found that it was an adoption certificate for a hedgehog called Billy in South Devon.  "They go to so much effort to make you happy, the least you can do is follow them on Twitter."  He passed the certificate to Louis and checked his friend's open laptop.  "Your mentions are full of requests by the way."  He paused and shook his head.  "Why would you tweet someone the same message over one thousand times?" he wondered aloud.  "You're not that great!"

Louis rolled his eyes and batted Harry lightly on the head with a small flat parcel.

"You're just jealous because you don't have as many followers as me," he sassed sticking his tongue out.

Harry who was used to Louis being cheeky flicked the end of the alpha's tongue with his fingers.  

"I have fourteen thousand, eight hundred and twenty-seven and at least I follow all of mine back!" he retorted.  "I chat to some of them too.  They're quite nice."

Louis frowned.  He wasn't too keen on Harry having in depth conversations with faceless strangers he had encountered online.  He didn't make a fuss though, from the moment Harry had decided he wanted a Twitter account Louis had sat him down and gone through all the basics of online safety:  Don't give out personal details like your address or phone number and block anyone who is nasty or asks for inappropriate pictures - or sends them!

Luckily Harry had always had a sensible head on his shoulders, so he wasn't too worried - although he did feel very responsible for the younger lad, especially since he predicted that ninety per cent of Harry's followers were down to the interaction between Harry's account and his own.  Harry did put out some amusing tweets - but they were usually full of inside jokes which would exclude and confuse a lot of his following.

"Aww look what someone made you!" Louis exclaimed after opening a package and seeing a post it stuck to a t-shirt bearing 'For Harry'.  He held it up for his boy to see and watched fondly as Harry's eyes gleamed with excitement as he grabbed for the shirt with both hands.

"Wow!  This is amazing!" Harry grinned as he immediately pulled it over his head, over the shirt he was already wearing!  "Can't believe someone made me this!  Are they on Twitter?  I want to thank them!"

Louis rummaged around in the wrappings for the card and handed what he found to Harry who grabbed his mobile and dutifully followed the fan.

"Take my picture!" Harry demanded, handing his best friend his phone.  He huffed and looked around the messy room.  "Let's take it outside," he amended and darted to grab his duffle bag from where he had chucked it in the corner.  "It's tidy out there," he explained to Louis' confused frown.

Louis shook his head and followed as the younger boy bounced out of the room.  He never fully understood Harry's mindset at times, but it only made his boy more endearing.

"Perfect!" Harry enthused after Louis had taken a few pictures of Harry pretending to walk up the garden path.  "I'm going to tweet it to our people!"

"Our people?" Louis asked gently as he slung his arm around Harry's shoulders.  "They're your followers?"

"Only because of you," Harry instantly scoffed with a chuckle.  "They like me because you like me - which is quite sweet really.  I get so many messages asking about how we met, what we do together and stuff.  People seem to really like how close we are."

"I guess you could call us pretty close," Louis smirked.  But his smile faltered a little when it flitted through his mind about how much closer they could be.

Harry laughed, his trademark cheeky expression washing over his face so he looked especially mischievous.

"Let me think," he struggled to say for laughing.  "We sleep together, I've seen you naked on numerous occasions and you have my first word inked on your arm.  Would you call that close?"

"I think..." Louis began to speak but was immediately cut off when Harry let out a squeal as his phone beeped.

"My picture's getting retweeted!" he exclaimed happily and plonked himself down on the floor, legs crossed to read through all the mentions that were blowing up his phone.

Happy to see Harry looking so chuffed, Louis carefully sat down beside him and hooked his chin over his shoulder to read along with him.

"Who's Larry?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.  "Do we know him?"

The tips of Harry's ears reddened, as did his cheeks when he blushed.

"That's what they call us," Harry admitted as though it was a massive secret.  "Because we're best friends!  Larry Stylinson if you want to be exact." He looked a little nervous.  "You don't mind do you?  I mean, there's nothing I can really do about it - but if you think about it, it's really... well it's just nice isn't it?  That other people can see how much we mean to each other."

"Nah, I don't mind, it's cool," Louis shrugged off with a small smile.  It didn't feel right to show exactly how happy the thought of people mashing his and Harry's names together made him. "Why don't we have a chat with some of them?  Get your laptop babe."

They settled down in one of the Tomlinson's reclining chairs - Harry sat on Louis' lap, the elder lad's arms around his waist so he could type upon the laptop balanced on top of Harry's thighs.  It was most comfortable.  Harry had always insisted that Louis was his favourite chair!

"They love my shirt!" Harry chatted gleefully as he scrolled through his mentions.  "Loads of people are saying 'Larry' and that we're cute.  Aww!  Look Lou!  Someone posted a picture of us!  I like that people take our photo together.  Don't you?"

Louis didn't like it.  He loved it!  There was something so much more special about seeing candid photos.  He wondered if anyone else had noticed how he looked at Harry with a different expression to everyone else?  Because he saw it.  Louis also loved the name 'Larry Stylinson' - how had they never thought of that before?  Their names fit together perfectly - just like everything else about them.

"How are you not more popular in school?" Louis wondered aloud as Harry's following began to increase in number - which was probably due to how much his newest picture was being retweeted. "Surely some people know that this is you."

Harry shrugged.  "I don't know.  I always assumed that I'm more known for being Liam's little brother.  It would be really cool if they weren't so," his face scrunched into a frown,  "weird... it's like they're jealous that I have a famous brother, but I don't understand why.  If you expected anyone to be jealous you would think it would be me!  But I'm not in the slightest because I'm so proud of him!  But the kids at school..."

Harry paused and ran a hand through his curls thoughtfully.

"They don't say stuff in front of me, but I know they're talking about me.  People go quiet when I walk into a room... and they stare.  They try to secretly point at me... and don't really want me around." He stopped and gazed over his shoulder at Louis, suddenly somber.  "I don't have friends apart from you guys," he murmured sadly.  "And my Twitter followers - they make me feel... less lonely when you're not here."

Louis felt so shocked inside.  It was true that Harry didn't mention anyone from school, but Louis hadn't thought much of it if he was honest.  He certainly didn't expect Harry to say he had no friends at all!  

"How come you've never told me this?" he asked accusingly, his arms automatically tightening his grip around Harry's waist.  "You tell me everything.  Don't you?"

Harry pondered a little upon the question.  He had thought that he did tell Louis everything.  Except, he hadn't divulged the contents of that dream he'd had - which was probably the first thing he'd ever purposely kept solely to himself.  But maybe he kept more to himself than he realised.

"I tell you everything that's relevant," he finally heard himself say and gave his hair an exaggerated flick when he realised he had been staring at Louis' mouth as he wondered what it would be like to have it kiss him.  He didn't want to make his thoughts too obvious.  Then again, Louis was hardly going to guess he had been thinking about that - Harry would never be that lucky!

"Your happiness is very relevant!" Louis hissed through his teeth.  "If these people are bullying you, then..."

Harry blinked in astonishment at the venomous tone of his best friend's voice.

"Lou... no one is bullying me," he told Louis slowly and shifted so that he was straddling the older boy, letting the laptop slip to the side of them.  "They just exclude me.  Why would I want to be friends with people who do that?  I don't want a load of friends who just want me around because I have a best friend and brother in a band.  I want people to like me for me.  People who I have things in common with and good conversation." His mouth curved into a reassuring smile as he tried to soothe Louis' prickly and irritated exterior.  "Besides, in a few months my exams will be over and hopefully I'll be moving onto the next step," he reminded his best friend confidently.  "And to be honest," he finished with a dramatic sniff, "you are far too high maintenance for me to even consider..."  

Harry's words stopped abruptly when Louis' fingers pinched his nipple hard through his t-shirt and instead of finishing his sentence, a large squawk escaped his lips.  He was about to retaliate when both of them felt Louis' phone vibrate with a text through his trousers.

Louis read the text with a big grin on his face, proactively prepared to fend Harry off at the drop of a hat in case he tried anything out of revenge.

"New Year's Eve house party at Stan's!" he reported back to Harry who had now rested both of his hands upon Louis' shoulders.  "You've been personally invited by the big guy himself!  Wanna come?"

"Erm..." Harry wasn't sure what to say.  He wasn't that keen on that side of Louis' friendship circle and had thought the feeling had been mutual after Louis' birthday lunch.  "Are you sure I was invited?" he scratched his head.  "Besides, I probably won't be allowed to go... considering mum thinks I'm too young to do anything..." 

The thought of his age restrictions was enough to make his bottom lip stick out in a sulky pout.  His mum would never let him go to an adult party - even if Louis would be looking after him the whole night.  She was worried he was going to do 'the drugs' or 'the drink' or 'smoke the cigarettes'!

"I can persuade Anne," Louis told him confidently grabbing Harry's cheeks in his hands and squashing them together out of jest.  "It'll be fun!  A bit of FIFA, a few drinks - non-alcoholic for you of course - and a few laughs.  You might even make some new friends!"

Harry rolled his eyes.  He doubted he would meet any new friends at a house party hosted by Stan Lucas and his buddies.  He was about to state that along with many other excuses when he caught the intensity within Louis' eyes as he spoke his next sentence.

"Of course it could be a really shit night.  We don't have to go at all.  All I want is to start the new year with you Haz."

With those few words, Harry couldn't say anything except stutter the word yes, because all he could think about was that the traditional way was to start the new year with a kiss.  Harry wished he knew exactly what Louis had in mind.

 

Unfortunately for Harry and Louis, Anne was very hard to convince after all.

"Absolutely not," she had deadpanned when Harry broached the topic late morning the next day.  "You're only fifteen baby.  These aren't school friends of yours, they are fully grown alpha males!  They'll be doing the drugs and the drink and smoking those horrid cigarettes!" she shook her head sadly at her son's crestfallen face.  "I'm sorry baby," she told him sympathetically,  "but I care about you too much.  I don't want you getting hurt or upset over something that probably isn't going to be that much fun to begin with.  You'll have plenty of opportunity for these parties when you're older."

Harry swallowed the lump in his throat.  His face was red from embarrassment, his fingers tightened around Louis' who squeezed back but on the whole seemed fairly unconcerned.

"Anne I know this seems like a big deal..."

"Louis..." Anne warned immediately.  "I'm very sorry, but I can't let Harry go into that kind of environment.  It's different for you, these are your friends.  If it was a party for Harry's age group it would be another matter - but from what I gather this is going to be a testosterone fuelled..."

"Mum!" Harry squeaked out.  This was so humiliating.  It really was as if his own mum didn't trust him to be good.  Just because he could possibly be around people who did less than desirable things - and considering the party was hosted by a group of 'lads', it was pretty likely - didn't mean that he was going to turn into one of them!  All he wanted was to be with Louis... and maybe experience his first kiss at midnight...

"Anne?" 

How was it that Louis managed to sound so calm and collected when Harry was seconds away from whining and complaining like the small child his mum was treating him like?  

But Louis was still holding his hand under the kitchen table, his thumb circling the knuckle joint of his index finger.  If he hadn't Harry probably would be acting a lot more like a teenage boy than he was.  Louis always had the ability to keep him calm.

"You know I would never knowingly put Harry into any situation that would bring him to any harm," Louis was saying confidently and calmly.  "My mates might be older than him, but they're good lads.  If I thought for a moment that they would push narcotics onto him - I wouldn't even suggest the idea.  Besides, it's not going to be just me with him.  The rest of the band are gonna be there as well.  We're all going to look after him.  Harry will always be my first priority."

Anne's face was blank as she absorbed Louis' speech.

"Baby?" she asked finally as she turned towards her son.  "Can you give Louis and I a moment?"

His first instinct was to object, but Louis gripped Harry's fingers tightly and ceased any objection.  Without looking at either of them, he clumsily stumbled out of the kitchen and closed the door behind him.  He wondered if he wanted to hear the conversation about to be exchanged... if he wasn't allowed to hear, it must be bad!

 

Back in the kitchen Louis clasped his hands in front of him on top of the kitchen table and waited for Anne to speak first.  He knew her well enough.  If there was a point she wanted to make she was just going to say it.

"I'm concerned about the alphas," Anne stated abruptly and crossed her arms over her chest.

Just like that.

"Harry is young and impressionable," Anne continued with a worried frown.  "He's a good boy, and I trust him immensely.  He knows the difference between right and wrong - and I know you will look out for him.  But..."

At this point she looked a little guilty.

"It's a New Year's Eve party and I suspect that... well... as much as you will probably be with Harry for most of the evening... I'm sure you will..." she cleared her throat obviously with a sudden glimmer of embarrassment,  "be busy elsewhere, with someone who isn't Harry..."

Fully understanding what Anne was implying it was Louis' turn to blush.  

As much as he was as close to Anne as a third son - it was obvious that word had gotten to her about his 'antics'.  Maybe Liam had said something - or worse still, she had read about them in a tabloid newspaper!  Louis shivered slightly at the prospect.

"I don't want another alpha cornering him," Anne had continued, as though her words had no impact on the alpha in front of her. "You know how eager to please he is, and what if he can't say no?  What if..."

"Harry will be fine," Louis quickly promised Anne, reaching out to touch her forearm.  "I can promise you that I will be by Harry's side all evening.  No alpha, or beta, or omega will have a chance to make him drink or sneak him drugs.  I'm going to be watching him like a hawk.  You know I would never let anything happen to my boy."

Anne bit her bottom lip.  Admittedly there was no one else she would trust with her baby boy's safety than Louis.  She might even have hopes for the future... but the future was years away.  If she let Harry go to his first adult party, she felt as though she would be completely saying goodbye to her baby.

"Think of it this way," Louis tried.  "If you are worried about the... alpha aspect... this is probably the best time for Harry to go to this type of party - even though I am positive that what you fear is not going to happen.  He's yet to present.  No alpha will be... interested in him... in that way.  Like I would let anyone give it a shot anyway."

Their eyes met.  Louis fought the urge to look away, as embarrassed as he was about this conversation, it did look as though Anne's mind was whirring and she was properly thinking Louis' thoughts through.

"If anything happens..." Anne finally sighed and glared at Louis fiercely. 

"I give you full permission to dissect my knot!" Louis told her bluntly and meant every word.  

If something happened to Harry under his supervision he would deserve a lot worse.

"Go tell him then," Anne sighed before she regretted her decision any more than she already did.  

"I promise I'll take care of him," Louis told her, his tone so soft.

Anne nodded with a little smile, certain that she had made the right decision.

 

"How do I look?" Harry asked as he fussed with his hair in the mirror.  "Do I look like I'm trying too hard?  I am aren't I?"

He turned to Louis, who had been prepping his hair in the bathroom and instantly wishing he looked more like him.  Louis - as always - looked casual and flawless.

 

Harry just looked stupid. His hair was all wrong, his clothes looked better on the hanger than they did on him. From head to toe he was just a mess.

Louis stopped in his tracks as Harry turned around.

"Wow," the word escaped his lips more breathy than he had anticipated but he couldn't even put letters together in his head to come up with a better word.

Louis could tell instantly that Harry had blow-dried his hair instead of letting it dry naturally - for his curls were so glossy, wavy instead of frizzy.  But it wasn't just his hair that Harry had taken that little bit more care over.  

Instead of his usual attire of a baggy t-shirt and jogging bottoms, Harry had obviously dived right into the back of his wardrobe and picked out a perfectly fitted shirt in a lovely charcoal and checked design.  Paired with a smart pair of denim trousers (which Louis was certain had belonged to him when he was younger - when his thighs hadn't been too thick to comfortably wear them), and black trainers Harry looked...

"Proper smart love!" Louis told the anxious little face in front of him, and trying not to stare.  "I love what you've done with your hair."

"Are you sure?" Harry instantly worried, and turned back to the mirror to prod at it some more.  "It just looks huge!"

"You do have a lot of hair," Louis grinned as he agreed and moved forward to stop Harry's fingers from playing with it, "but it suits you.  I've always loved your curls."

Harry's nose wrinkled as he blushed, his eyes averting to his feet and shuffled on the spot.

"Think it's good enough for your friend's party?" he asked quietly.  He desperately wanted to fit in with Louis' 'squad'.  He wanted them to think he was grown up and not a baby.  

He wanted Louis to be proud of him and want to be seen at his side.

"I think," Louis told him as he extracted his phone from the pocket of his sinfully tight jeans.  "That I want to show all my followers the gorgeous specimen of a man that I'm going to be spending New Year's Eve with!"

Harry smiled at him shyly, and that was the split second in which Louis took the photo. Immediately he was unhappy with it though.  The picture was fantastic.  It caught the glossiness of Harry's hair, the healthy glow to his skin, his dimples were in place and both accounted for, and he was smiling from both his lips and his eyes.

He looked so beautiful.  But even as Louis uploaded it on his Twitter account, he still didn't think it completely captured the magical aura that just surrounded his boy whenever he set his eyes upon him.

Although, maybe that was just for his eyes only?  After all, no one would ever see Harry the way Louis saw him.

"You tagged me!" Harry suddenly piped up when his phone sent him a notification.  "Aww!" he cooed playfully after he had skimmed the tweet, and decided to read it aloud.

**Who's jealous that I get to spend #NYE with the gorgeous @Harry_Styles ? #SeducedByCurls?**

"Wow!  Look at how many times it's been retweeted and favoured!" Harry exclaimed within seconds of reading it.  His tone softened and a new blush blossomed upon his cheeks.  "You really think I'm gorgeous?"

"Wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it!" Louis answered defensively.  "You make me feel like I should go and change my outfit!"

"But you look amazing!" Harry rushed to tell him, as usual with wide eyed honesty.  

"Babe, I threw on a clean t-shirt and ran a comb through my hair," Louis chuckled.  "I look acceptable."

"Fine, we will take the opinion to _Deadlock_!" Harry laughed holding up his phone to take a picture of a laughing Louis.  "Or rather, take it to Twitter!"

 

"Lou?  Is Harry ready yet?" Liam almost shouted as he bounded into the room, almost knocking his mate to the floor.  "You said you'd only be a minute!"

"Sorry, did I take about thirty seconds too long?" Louis huffed with a roll of his eyes, and moved a bit closer to Harry out of harm's way.

"Try ten minutes," Liam commented dryly as he smoothed down his shirt and turned his attention to his younger brother.  "Looking great H!" he complimented warmly.  "Ready to get going?  Zayn's already there and Niall text to say he's en route.  Besides, mum is lurking at the bottom of the stairs with her camera.  This could take ages!"

 

Liam was correct.  As soon as the brothers and Louis had walked down to the front door, Anne collared them - insisting that she took plenty of photos to document Harry's first New Year's Eve party and because her 'babies looked so handsome!'

"I'll print some of these for your dad," Anne quietly smiled at Liam, referring to the pictures she had just taken of him.  Liam grinned.  His dad would love that.  He was always complaining that he didn't have enough photos of his son.

Before they were allowed to leave, Anne laid down a few ground rules turning first to Harry.

"If you even have to consider if I will be happy with something you're doing - the answer is no!" she told him with her most formidable tone as she wagged her pointed finger.  "That means no accepting random drinks from strangers, absolutely no smoking... if I smell smoke on your clothes, so help you Harry!  And if you see anyone doing drugs you are to call me immediately!  I will come and get you!"  She rounded upon Liam and Louis, who had been quietly sniggering behind their hands over how embarrassed Harry looked throughout Anne's speech.

"As for you two, if I hear my baby has been in a place with drugs I will skin you both alive!"

"Way to encourage him to be honest mum," Liam pointed out and patted her arm gently.  "Threaten his bro and his bestie.  Great plan!"

"Just look after him," Anne told him fiercely and grabbed her youngest into her arms.  "You're growing up too quickly," she complained as she pressed a kiss to his forehead.  "Have fun tonight baby... and listen to..." she glanced between his brother and his best friend.  "Louis at all times!"

Out of the two lads even Anne knew that it would be Liam to go gallivanting off on his own.  Harry would be more likely to stick to Louis anyway - just like every other day they were together.

With one final hug, one last picture and one last promise that he would be good, Harry, Liam and Louis were finally allowed to leave the house.

It should have surprised them, but it didn't, to see that there was actually a couple of paparazzi camped on the pavement in front of their house.

"Alright lads?" one of them hollered as their camera's clicked and flashed.  "Where you going?  Celebrity party?  Are you looking to hook up?"

As professional as always Liam and Louis grinned for the cameras, politely saying that they were going to a private party.  

"Come on Haz," Louis hissed through his toothy smile, as he gave Harry's hand a little tug where their fingers were entwined.  The poor boy really resembled a rabbit in the headlights.

"Can you keep him out of the pictures?" Louis asked quickly, as he caught sight of the reporter pointing his lens in Harry's direction.  "He's only fifteen."

"My brother," Liam clarified.  "Seriously mate, you can have all the pictures you want of us - just keep him out."

The reporters were surprisingly agreeable and because of that, after Harry had been ushered into the back seat, Liam and Louis lingered a couple of seconds longer for extra pictures.

"Considering what they're usually like, those paps weren't that bad," Liam commented as they drove away.  "That has gotten to be the first time that no one has tried to goad a reaction out of me by calling me fat or something!"

"You're not though!" Harry grumbled from the backseat where he was sat next to Louis.  "Why would anyone say that to your face?  What if it upset you?"

Liam smiled at his brother sympathetically through the rear-view mirror.  He was so innocent sometimes.

"Can't have too many pictures of me smiling," he said as matter of fact, to which Louis nodded knowingly.  "Gotta have me looking moody to go with whatever bullshit article they feel like writing."

"This is why I asked you not to read papers," Louis reminded him and squeezed the younger boy's hand.  It was something they did most of the time now - holding hands felt so natural, and Louis had no intention of letting it go.  Harry didn't reply, but he did nod in acknowledgement.

"Your pictures have been uploaded!" Harry suddenly exclaimed, his nose in his Twitter feed once more.  "Oh no!" he pouted under his breath.  "I didn't put your photo up.  Li interrupted..." he shrugged, "I'll just take a screenshot of one that those guys put up.  You look hot in them so it's going to prove my point."

Louis looked over Harry's shoulder to check that his boy was not visible in the pictures as requested, and was very pleased to see that there was no sign of him - even his hand clasped in Harry's was obscured.  Then he realised what Harry had said.   _You_ _look_ _hot_.  Now Louis was truly speechless.

**Next year I want to look as good as my man crush @Louis_Tomlinson #NYE**

"We'll see how many people agree with me tomorrow," Harry told Louis seriously as he gave his best friend his phone to look after for him - he didn't want to lose it!  He wondered why Louis had such a strange expression on his face.  Little did he know it was all down to the two little words circling his mind:   _man crush?_

 

Stan's party was in full swing by the time the three arrived.  Lights were flashing, music was pumping and the house and garden were packed with Stan's mates.

Clutching Harry's hand and a sixteen pack of beer, Louis strutted up the front path with his boy in tow - who was internally wondering if Louis' personality was going to glitch around his friends like it had done on the day of his birthday.  As much as Harry loved Louis, the enormity of that side of his personality overwhelmed him a little bit.  Harry was nervous about this party enough as it was!

"Babe, you're fidgeting," Louis commented fondly as he held the front door open for Harry, then accidently let it go just before Liam got fully through the door.

"Lou!" Liam complained loudly as he just managed to stop the door from slamming in his face.  "Don't be a dick!  You did that on purpose!"

Louis just smirked in his face until Liam's well practiced puppy eyes came into play and Louis gave him a brief hug - one armed mind, he still wasn't going to let go of Harry's hand.

Harry stood as close to the wall as possible and glanced around him nervously.  He half wished he hadn't given Louis his phone just so that he had something in his hand to make him look busy.  Instead he played with Louis' fingers.  The elder lad must have been aware of how worried he was, why else would he still be clutching at his hand so tightly?

"Come on babe, let's go find Stan," Louis decided when he saw how crowded the hallway was getting - largely due to people he didn't know wanting to gawk at the 'celebrities' in their unnatural habitat.

Keeping his head down out of shyness, Harry let himself be led through to the kitchen and fidgeting the entire way.  He fiddled with his hair, tugged at his shirt, rubbed his nose.  His mum had been right - he was so out of place here.  If Louis hadn't have been keeping him so close, Harry would have made a run for it.

Stan was leaning against the makeshift bar when they found him.

"Louis!  You came!  You fucking legend!" he shouted, enthusiastically pumping his fist in the air.  "Harry, great to see you mate!" 

It was the first time that Harry began to feel a little more comfortable, when his eyes met Stan's, the alpha was offering him a warm smile as though he really was pleased that Harry was there, which only increased when the youngest smiled shyly back.

Stan tried not to make a big deal at how he had noticed the two lads were holding hands, but it did reaffirm his previous assumptions.  He must remember to tell non-believer Oli later...

"So, drinks lads?" he asked pleasantly.  "What you in the mood for?  Lou, you can just get your own!  Harry I can make you a fantastic non-alcoholic cocktail if you're up for it?"

"When you say non-alcoholic...?" Louis asked suspiciously narrowing his eyes at his mate.  It wasn't that he didn't believe Stan as such, but he had made a huge promise to Anne that Harry would be looked after, and was intending to keep it.

Stan rolled his eyes.  "You can watch me make it," his tone softened.  "I'm not gonna hurt your boy mate, at ease would ya?"

Louis still watched Stan put every single item into the cocktail shaker with an eagle eye - not satisfied until it had been poured into a plastic cup and in Harry's hand... but even then Louis still sipped it... just in case.

Moments later Niall and Zayn had both rocked onto the room, the two of them already a little tipsy and made a beeline for Harry who was happily sipping his drink through a straw and watching everyone else around him with all seeing, curious eyes.

"Not drinking tonight?" Stan asked him in astonishment when Louis had done exactly what he'd said and got his own drink - the surprise being that he had selected a bottle of water, not the alcoholic beverage that Stan had expected him to choose.

"Not that kind of night mate," Louis shrugged, his eyes not leaving Harry's face.  He's regrettably had to let go of his fingers a little while ago, but he was still close enough so that he didn't feel lonely.  

"But it's New Year!" Stan pointed out.  "We always get trashed!  It's our thing!"

Louis watched as Niall slung his arm around Harry's shoulders.  The younger lad looked more at home now that more people he recognised were around him, and was talking excitedly as he offered Niall some of his drink.  Harry was happy, which meant so was Louis.  Why would he drink like he usually did when there was a chance he could forget moments like this as consequence?

For his first ever New Year's Eve party in years being intentionally sober, Louis ended up having a blast.  Stan's parties had always been a good time, but this one was extra special because Harry was there.  Maybe he was having such a great time because his boy was?

Two hours into the party and all of Harry's fears had completely vanished.  Although there were so many people there that he didn't know, Harry barely noticed them now because he was so tightly surrounded by people he did know and love.

Stan kept his cup full of delicious drinks and spent a lot of his time making conversation with him - something which Harry was not expecting but really appreciated.

Niall was past the stage of just being tipsy. He was so drunk, which only meant he was louder, more vibrant and was set upon getting Harry dancing!

"I can't dance like that!" Harry had squeaked in alarm and tried not to stare at an alpha/omega pairing who were grinding all over each other in the middle of the living room.

"Not like that!" Niall scoffed with a dismissive eye.  "Just do whatever makes you feel good.  Throw yourself around if you want!  It's fun H, just copy me!"

At first he was reluctant.  Worried people would laugh at him.  Cheeks reddened, head down, his movements had been stiff and unintentionally robotic.  He just couldn't be as loose and free as Niall was.  Harry would never be that uninhibited - he wasn't that sort of person, even though he really wanted to be!

Louis who had been watching at the sidelines, nibbled his lower lip.  Should he interrupt?  Harry looked so out of his comfort zone.  Maybe if he danced with him Harry might feel a little more relaxed.

"Mate.  I am seriously going to slap you in a minute.  You look like you're babysitting!" Zayn shook his head at him.  "Are you actually having fun?"

"Of course I am." 

"Have a drink!" Zayn coaxed who wasn't used to his mate at a party without a bottle of beer in hand and more than a dozen shots consumed.  "I'll even get it for you!"

"Harry is having fun isn't he?" Louis worried aloud instead of answering Zayn.

Zayn's dark eyes flitted over to where Harry was awkwardly throwing half-hearted shapes next to Niall and a few random betas.

"He'd be having more fun if you were to go dance with him," Zayn commented with a gulp of his own beer.  "He looks uncomfortable - go loosen him up."

Feeling as though he had finally been given permission, Louis shoved his water bottle into Zayn's chest and went to join his baby and Niall.  Approaching Harry from behind and lazily wrapping his arms around his chest.

Although the younger boy stiffened at first in his arms, all it took was one soft whisper in his ear and all of the nervous tension within Harry's veins rapidly evaporated as he turned around and flung his arms around his best friend.

"Please tell me you're going to dance with me?" Harry almost begged Louis. "I'm dying out here!  Is my hair ok?" he added suddenly self-conscious.

"Gorgeous!" Louis assured him automatic and truthfully rubbing their noses together to make Harry smile again.  "You looked great dancing babe, you don't need me to dance with you."

"Oh no," Harry disagreed shaking his head so his curls danced on their own.  "I definitely need you!"

He turned back around, grabbing at Louis' arms and holding them around his waist, plastering his back against Louis' chest.  Now he felt more comfortable.  He always felt better with Louis' arms around him - maybe if they danced like this it would increase the chances of getting his kiss at midnight!

Harry might be feeling more relaxed now, but Louis was completely on edge and so out of his depth.  It should be fine.  He was just dancing.  Louis could dance!  He danced at parties all the time!  But this was different.

Someone had put on a track that was downright dirty in rhythm.  All around him couples were dropping and grinding left, right and centre - and Harry had stuck himself so close that they were pressed together from the hips upwards - the natural instinct to grind against his boy was so hard to fight against, especially with the way that Harry was actually moving in front of him!  Did he have a clue how much of a head fuck this was to Louis?  Did Harry have any idea how... arousing this was?

Fuck!  Louis really needed a stiff drink!  Now!

As though he had read his mind, Zayn appeared at his side with a large shot of vodka and a bottle of beer.

The vodka burned as it slid down Louis' throat, but the beer that followed was cool and soothing.  It had been so long since he'd had a drink that Louis felt a little bit of a buzz just from the double vodka alone - now he felt a bit better... or was this going to be worse... now he had to try even harder not to do anything inappropriate!

The later into the evening it got, the more people surrounded them until the whole living room floor was packed with dancers. It constricted the room to move, so much it drove Louis to accidently grind against Harry a couple of times - shocking Louis one thousand times over when the boy reciprocated... which was just wrong, Harry was only fifteen... he had no business pulling that kind of move - even if Louis had accidently encouraged it!

At eleven thirty, Louis reluctantly pulled a very excitable Harry off of the dance floor.  Long gone were his worries of looking stupid in front of the other guests - especially after seeing their moves - Harry had really gotten into the dancing spirit, larking about, hands in the air - basically just messing about with Niall.  It was so sweet and endearing.  Especially since it made him so flushed in the face... it was so attractive.

However, it was time to leave - Louis had his reasons, and they were personal, something special especially for Harry.

"Gonna make a move," Louis told Stan who was in the middle of 'making friends' with a pretty brunette.  "Happy New Year mate!"

"But it's not midnight!  Why are..." Stan started to protest checking his watch, but then he saw Harry waiting next to the front door and all of a sudden everything became clear to him.  

Stan wasn't blind, in fact he had spent a lot of time watching the pair all evening.  If they weren't holding hands they were either making heart eyes at one another - and don't think Stan hadn't spotted those pretty raunchy dance moves!  

Blatantly something was going on, something quite controversial because of their age difference perhaps, and how Harry was still legally a minor...

"Happy New Year Lou," he instead wished fondly with a hug and mimed a high five to Harry over his shoulder.  "Make it a good one yeah?"

Stan was a good mate.  He wasn't going to say a word - to anyone.

 

"Where are we going Lou?" Harry asked as he was hustled down the street, Louis' arm snuggly around his back.  "Shouldn't we have told Liam we were leaving?"

Louis pressed a quick kiss to Harry's temple and urged him to walk a bit faster.  He had set everything up perfectly - and he didn't want to miss it!

"How did you like your first party?" he asked in an attempt to prevent any more questions.  "Did you have fun?"

"Well..." Harry frowned as Louis ushered him through the gates of the local park.  "For a New Year's Eve party, didn't we kind of leave before the pivotal moment?" He checked his watch.  "It's only eleven forty-five now."

"Shit!  We're gonna miss it!" Louis exclaimed, then to Harry's surprise he got in front of Harry and leant over slightly.  "Hop on babe, quick as you can!"

Completely confused Harry clambered on top of Louis' back, tightening his legs around his waist and holding onto his shoulders.  

"Holding tight?" Louis asked as he stood up straight and clutched at Harry's thighs.  He felt Harry nod against the side of his face and grinned to himself - Harry was going to love this!

"Agggghhhhh!" Harry squeaked, clutching at Louis tighter as the world shifted underneath him and Louis took off like a bullet from a gun, running as fast as he could through the darkness.

"Woooohoooo!" Harry found himself screaming aloud, adrenaline setting in and enjoying how the cool air tossed his hair backwards.  He loved Louis, he was so much fun!

Louis charged towards the play-park, slowing in pace, but instead of putting Harry down, he jogged over to the slide and began to walk up it - Harry was impressed, he didn't even need to hold on to the sides!

"Why are we at the play-park?" Harry asked again, a little short of both breath and clues.

Louis checked his watch quickly.  It was eleven fifty-five.

"This is going to be a very special year for you Haz," he stated and picked up Harry's hand, leading him across the top of the play fort he had climbed into.  "So special that it deserves the most spectacular of starts!  Stay here, we've only got a few minutes to go!"

Without warning he jumped off the platform, running down the slope into the darkness and leaving Harry alone.  

Harry's heart was beating rapidly inside his chest.  Did Louis mean what he hoped he did?  What in the world was he doing?

Holding onto the rail, he squinted into the blackness.  It was just about visible to make Louis out as he grabbed hold of a zip wire play apparatus, and began to run back up the grassy slope before clambering up next to Harry.  

Clutching the chain tightly Louis carefully straddled the small circular seat, his feet hooked over the edge of the fort, the rest of him suspended in mid-air.

"Sit on my lap babe and hold on to me," Louis instructed patting his thigh with his free hand.  "Quick!  But be careful!"

Harry was apprehensive.  He wondered if the chain was strong enough to support two people, but he trusted Louis.  So swallowing the fears that niggled at him, he just held onto the chain that attracted the seat to the wire, boarding Louis' lap as though he was a koala bear.

"Ready for some magic?" Louis whispered huskily to him and securely looped an arm around Harry's waist.  "Look up!"

Harry was just about to question him when an explosion of sound seemed to erupt from everywhere around him.  Fireworks shot into the sky, dazzling in brightness and turning into the most beautiful formations.

With his strong, muscular legs, Louis kicked off from the edge with a loud yell and shuttled them both into the air with force.

All of a sudden, they were flying!

The wind whipped through Harry's hair, and his scream of pure exhilaration filled the night air as he flew with Louis under a sky filled with green, red and gold stars.

It was over far too soon.  Eyes bright with sheer joy, engrossed with each and every firework that popped in his eye-line, Harry felt his stomach swoop as zip wire tipped them almost upside down as it reached its destination, then start to carry them back the way they came.

"Did you like that?" Louis asked him gleefully.  He had no idea what to expect, but he didn't think it could have gone any better.  The squeal of joy Harry had let out had been so beautiful that Louis wished he could have recorded it and made it his ring tone!

Harry lowered his face dreamily, drawn to the two little pinpricks of light that made up Louis' eyes and nodded hard.

"That was amazing!" he breathed, realising the experience had almost left him breathless, then wrapped his arms around Louis tightly, nosing his face in the crook of the lad's neck and squeezing him so tightly.  That had been such an amazing moment, only made better by how good Louis looked and smelled.

Louis let go of the chain, comfortable enough to let them drift as he held Harry close and tender, trying to transfer every ounce of love he had inside him to the younger boy and hoping he felt it.

"I love you Harry," he whispered, just to be sure the message was received, and rubbed their cheeks together.  "Happy New Year."

 _Happy_ _New Year?_

Harry had almost forgotten.  Surely it wasn't too late.  

The seat wobbled slightly as Harry drew back slightly, his legs automatically tightening their grip on Louis' waist.  

There was a look on the elder alphas face which he couldn't quite decipher.  Happiness?  Fondness?  Excitement?  Longing?  Fear?  For all he knew it could be a mixture of all of them.

"I love you too Louis," he whispered back, the volume of his words sounded very loud after the previous din.

A hand was cupping the side of his face, its fingers caressing his cheek and jaw.  Harry's breath stilled in his throat.  This was it!  This was the moment he had been waiting for!  Louis was actually going to do what he had been too scared to initiate!

"You are going to have the best year ever babe," Louis told him, smoothing his thumb over the pale yet heated skin of his cheek, "and I'm going to be with you every step of the way - I promise."

Their eyes locked in a single gaze.  Their bodies pressed closer together.  Harry's chest felt like it was going to burst out of anticipation!

Louis was biting his lower lip, then smoothing over it with his tongue.  Harry couldn't help but notice how his line of sight would dart between his own eyes and mouth.

Then Louis' head was inclining, eyes closing.

Holding his breath, Harry squeezed his own eyes shut.  Palms sweating he leant forward himself.  This was it.  Louis was going to kiss...

Another hand was pressed against his other cheek, clasping his face between their palms, tilting Harry's face lower until a flutter of lips settled upon the bare skin of his forehead.

"Happy New Year Harry," Louis whispered against his skin, his tone thick with emotion, then shoved his face over Harry's shoulder and hugged him tight.

"Happy New Year Louis," Harry whispered fighting back tears of disappointment.  He hoped that his best friend wouldn't hear the devastation which he was sure was crystal clear upon his face.  He had been so sure.  So certain that Louis had been going to kiss him - how had he been so wrong?

He should have done it himself.  Why hadn't he done it himself? If he hadn't still been on Louis' lap atop a zip wire Harry could have seriously kicked himself!

As said zip wire swayed the pair gently back and forth, Louis clung to Harry as though he was the only thing keeping them upright.  He hoped with all his heart that the younger lad didn't pull away too soon.  He didn't want Harry to question the regret and undeniable sorrow on his face.

It had been the perfect moment.  The perfect setting.  It could have been the best beginning to the new year - and Louis had failed miserably.  

This had been the only plausible time he had thought of to actually kiss Harry - and he had blown it, because he had been so scared that he would be rejected.

Lost in their own little worlds of varying levels of disappointment, neither boy moved, they just held each other tight and let the zip line softly sway them - as the last few fireworks lit up the sky, which neither of them noticed.


	8. Chapter 8

"Baby?  You need to eat something," Anne coaxed gently as she hovered at Harry's open bedroom door.  "You've been studying all day.  Why don't you take a break and I'll cook us something.  What do you fancy?"

Harry was hunched over his desk.  Textbooks and study guides covered all available space, a large planner pinned up on the wall where his poster of 'The Script' used to be.

"I'm not hungry mum," he muttered without turning around.  "I haven't finished these maths questions, and I still have to re-read the next part of _An_ _Inspector_ _Calls_ and write my notes in the margins to stay on track!"

The mutter he had started his sentence with increased with each syllable until his last words sounded quite desperate.  

Harry just didn't understand.  Why wasn't the information going in?  He had been reading from the same textbook for the past three hours and he honestly didn't think he had absorbed anything - if he had then these questions would be easier to answer!  He was never going to pass his maths exam... _and_ it was a core subject.

"Harry Edward Styles!" Anne warned him.  "This is not healthy behaviour.  I am very proud of you for taking your studies so seriously, but you need to look after yourself!"

With a cluck of her tongue she crossed the room as Harry turned around to protest.  One look at the mauve shadows under his eyes and Anne pursed her lips, her poor baby looked so miserable.

"Just another couple of hours!" Harry whined as Anne eased his pen from his cramped fingers.  "I've got so much to do! I'll mess up my schedule!"

"After you have had a rest and something to eat," his mum insisted with her most formidable tone and closed Harry's textbook.  It was hard to hear the panicked little whine from the back of his throat, but she couldn't just sit back and watch her baby torture himself any longer.

It was obvious that he didn't want to, but Harry followed Anne to the kitchen - dragging his feet and clearly subdued.  It occurred to her that she hadn't seen her baby smile in a while - and it worried her that she hadn't realised sooner.

Harry stared gloomily at the kitchen table whilst his mum made them something to eat.  He hoped it wasn't going to be a big meal, he didn't feel hungry in the slightest.  In fact, the thought of food made him feel slightly nauseous.

"Why don't we eat this and watch a film?" Anne suggested kindly as she ladled her homemade chicken broth into two bowls and smiled when Harry seemed to pick up when the herby aroma reached his nostrils.  This was his favourite after all - and Harry seemed very much in need of some tender loving care.  She had tried to talk to him about what was troubling him, but with small shrugs and one word answers in response she had lapsed into silence.  Clearly she would need to be there for him with actions instead of words.  If Harry wanted to talk to her, he would in his own time.  Of course it could be 'boy stuff'.  Maybe Des and Harry should have a little father and son chat when he got home.

Anne chose a comedy for them to watch.  Nothing too heavy or thought provoking.  

At the start Harry seemed distracted, preferring to play with his soup rather than eat it.  It relieved Anne no end when Harry finally let himself relax and cuddle a little closer, his attention so fully engrossed with the story playing in front of him, that he wolfed down his soup and more than his share of the buttered bread.

"Would you like something else?" she asked Harry who had discarded his empty bowl on the coffee table, then curled up into her side, a small yet tired smile playing on his lips.  It wasn't her imagination, he really did look so much more content.

Harry shook his head and tucked himself under her arm.  All of a sudden he was so tired, maybe he _had_ been working too hard.  Maybe his coping mechanism wasn't actually working, but making things worse.

"Have you spoken to Louis or Liam today?" Anne asked as she cuddled her son close and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Harry shook his head.  He had purposely turned his phone off to make sure he didn't waste his precious study time procrastinating on Twitter or texting... well, that was a couple of reasons.

"You haven't fallen out with them have you?" Anne asked with a frown.  She knew how important the boys were to Harry who was always full of updates on what they were doing that day, something else Harry hadn't done for a while.  He had been too caught up with his revision to sit down and chat like he used to.

Harry shook his head.  That should be obvious.  If he had fallen out with the boys the first person he would have gone crying to would have been his mum.

"Pick us something else to watch then,"  Anne suggested and hoped that Harry would allow himself to be distracted for another two hours or so, instead of going back to his room.  With the way he had been holed up in there for the past few weeks there was no doubt in her mind that he would pass his mock exams with flying colours.

Her phone rang as she washed up the dishes in the kitchen.

"Baby!" she sang out as she answered to her eldest.  "We were just thinking about you!  How are you darling?"

"I'm good," Liam answered quickly.  "We're actually pretty well known out here!  Massive surprise and it's going pretty well so far!" he paused.  "Mum?  Is Harry around?"

"Yes darling, we're just about to watch a film together.  Want to speak to him?"

"Erm..." Liam sounded uncomfortable even from just the small noise he'd made.  "Mum?  Does H seem alright to you?  He _is_ ok isn't he?"

Anne wiped her hands and wandered towards the living room door.  She could see Harry from here, cuddled into the cushions, eyes closed.  He looked tired and unhappy - Anne's heart ached.

"He's been spending all his free time revising," Anne told Liam in her lowest tone. "It was a struggle just to encourage him to eat something this evening - and just relax away from his books for a little while.  Has something happened that I'm not aware of?  I've tried but he just doesn't want to talk to me."

"He doesn't seem to want to talk to Lou either," Liam confided with difficulty.  Both he and his mother knew that if Harry couldn't talk to Louis, something was really wrong.  "He hasn't had his phone on in days, he's not answering his emails and Lou's besides himself with worry.  Was hoping you'd be able to tell us he's fine and this is just a coincidence or something."

"Do you know something?  Should I be worried?" Anne asked sharply with warning.  "Liam Payne..."

"I don't know anything mum," Liam sighed.  "He's just kinda shut us all out for no apparent reason without warning.  Can you put him on the phone a sec?"

 

"What's wrong?" Liam demanded as soon as he heard his little brother's sleepy voice on the end of the line.  "Your phone's been off for two days, you're not answering our messages... what's happened?"

Harry rubbed his eyes.  He'd just nodded off to sleep and now Liam was barking at him?

"I'm fine," he murmured tiredly.  "Nothing's wrong, I'm just busy."

"Too busy to talk to Louis?" Liam asked him gently.  "Come on H, we both know that never happens.  You _always_ make time for him - and for me.  What's going on with you?  Maybe I can help?"

Harry bit his lip.  "I'm fine," he groaned with an attempt to sound perky.  "How's Oz?"

"It's good mate," Liam replied politely.  "But we can chat about that later.  Get your ass on Skype and call me back alright.  Miss your face."

Harry wasn't keen, but he knew Liam would overreact if he objected.  Reluctantly he traipsed back to his bedroom and set up his laptop.

 

"There you are!" Liam greeted as he appeared upon Harry's screen.  "Long time no see buddy!"

Harry smiled weakly.  Liam tried to keep his smile from faltering.  It could have been just the light, or the camera angle - but Harry definitely looked peaky.  He didn't look as though he was at death's door or anything drastic - but he did look very tired and pale.  He just didn't look like the Harry he'd left at home three weeks ago!

"So what's up?" Liam asked.  "Mum says you've been revising really hard.  Feeling positive about your mock exams?  Not long now is it?"

It was minuscule at best, but Liam could see how Harry's face fell just a fraction.

"Mate you're going to do fine," Liam tried to reassure his little brother.  "You do really well in school as it is.  Are you putting too much pressure on yourself?  These are only your mock exams - they aren't the real thing, just to see what you need extra help with."

"I just can't get anything to sink in," Harry said after a few moments of silence with a grimace. "I read the words, I write things down so many times, but I just can't remember them!"

There was a definite edge to his tone, his fingers began to play with his hair - rather roughly.  

"I'm worried I'm going to fail everything," Harry finally admitted, unable to meet Liam's eyes even through the screen.

"Mate, you're not going to fail," Liam told him carefully.  "But you're not going to do yourself any favours if you're not looking after yourself.  Are you sleeping?  Eating properly?  Because you look too stressed out to shit mate."

"Thanks!" Harry glowered at him sarcastically.  "I just shared with you what I'm worried about - and you think it's a great time to insult my appearance!"

"Harry!"

Liam was shocked by his outburst.  Harry never spoke to him with such a tone - not even when Liam had been really horrible to his little brother when they were growing up.  

"You know what Li?  I'm _tired_ and I've got to finish my Maths and English!" Harry snapped, his worries cascading over the little corner of his mind he'd been trying to keep under wraps.  "I really don't have time for this!  When _I_ have time,  _I'll_ call _you_!"

His eyes blazing, his mouth pressed into a thin line, Harry groped for the mouse to finish the call.

"Harry wait!" Liam pleaded when he sensed the call was about to be disconnected.  "Have you got a message for Lou?  He's really missing you mate!  He's really worried about you!"

Harry paused.  The anger dissolved from his eyes, but instead of happiness, an emptiness filled the spaces.

"No," he said shortly.  Then there was a click and Harry's face had disappeared from the screen.  Harry had hung up on Liam - and he hadn't even left a message for Louis.  Things must be worse than he had anticipated.

 

"Wasn't expecting that," Zayn commented softly from where he was sprawled upon Liam's bed reading a magazine.  "This is why you suggested that Lou and Ni scout out the bar right?  So he wouldn't be here if H wasn't ok?"

Liam nodded.  He tried to call Harry again via Skype - but the call simply wasn't answered.  Obviously he hadn't cooled off yet.

He tried to decide if he should mention this to Louis when his mobile began to ring.

"What have you said to Harry?" Anne asked upset and worried.  "He's crying his heart out in his bedroom and he just slammed his door in my face!  You had better not be back to your old ways my boy!"

"I said he looked stressed," Liam told her, the discomfort building in the pit of his stomach.  "I promise I didn't say anything that bad!  It's not like I can make things better either - I'm in Australia for another three days! I can't just pop home and say sorry!  It was hard enough getting permission to get time off for..."

Liam was so consumed with his phone call that he didn't notice when the door to his hotel room opened and in strolled Louis with Niall in tow.

"Mum!  I'm sorry but I don't know what to do!" Liam said anxiously.  "If he cuts off all communication... it's not my fault if he refuses to answer my calls..."

There was a scramble of limbs, an elbow to Liam's ribs and Louis threw himself behind the settee with Liam's phone pressed to his ear.

"Anne?  It's Louis.  What's wrong with Harry?   _What_?" Louis' head poked up and over the back of the settee meerkat style.  His eyes narrowed as he glared furiously at Liam, then feeling secure that Liam wasn't going to make a lunge for his phone, Louis stalked into the bathroom - no doubt to continue the phone call in private.

"Someone want to fill me in?" Niall asked casually as Zayn checked Liam's ribs for Louis shaped marks.

"Harry is upset because of unknown circumstances - we are all concerned," Zayn summed up in the simplest fashion.  Then he shrugged, between Niall's clueless expression and Liam's clenched jaw, Zayn really had no idea what was going on - sometimes it paid off to be oblivious.

 

"Liam get your stuff packed," Louis commanded as he strode out of the bathroom a good half hour later.  "We need to get home!"

Liam gaped at Louis who continued to stare at him as though he was waiting.

"What?" he spluttered.  "That's absurd!  We can't just up and leave!  We've got three days left of press to do!"

"Exactly!" Louis threw his hands up in the air.  "Press!  Not shows, nothing fan related - just additional press which we have already done a ton of.  Besides, you have a family emergency," Louis stated with irritation.  He clucked his tongue.  "I've already phoned management.  You're allowed to go - I'm gonna be fined but..." he shrugged.  "It's no big deal.  Harry needs us - we need to be there for him."

"Louis!  It's only his _mock_ exams!" Liam told him through gritted teeth.  "It's not like he's applying for MENSA or something. We'll be home in four days anyway!  Remember?  So we'd have a whole day to recover from the jet lag and not ruin Harry's birthday?  It was a nightmare to make sure we were able to fly back for _that_!"

"If we leave now we'll be home in just over twenty seven hours," Louis shot back heatedly.  "You know what?  If you really feel that way, don't come!  I can support Harry enough for the both of us!"

He finished his sentence with a shout, eyes blazing icy blue fire as he glared at his oldest friend.

"All that matters right now is that my Hazza is upset and worrying so much he's making himself sick!  Your brother is so upset and worried he's making himself ill!  Get your priorities in check and be a bit more supportive!  I've been shouldering your side of your responsibilities almost all his life!  Man the fuck up!"

With one last glare that almost made Niall and Zayn shiver from how cold it was, Louis strode off.  He needed to pack his stuff and get Alberto to sort them out with plane tickets and a car to the airport.  

He had no doubt that Liam would eventually come around to his way of thinking, if he didn't?  Well Louis would really have to give him a serious talking to!

"Need some help?" Zayn asked quietly.  The younger lad had followed Louis out of Liam's room, Louis had been too angry to notice.

"Yeah, shove all the clothes into that bag," Louis replied shortly, barely glancing in his band mate's direction.  Instead he went to collect all his toiletries together, but darted over to Zayn and grabbed an Adidas sweatshirt out of his clutches.

"Harry's favourite," he murmured as a way of an explanation and chucked it on his bed to go with his carry-on luggage.

"How much is the fine?" Zayn asked with feigned nonchalance.

Louis sighed deeply.  

"I'm leaving three days early," he replied as he averted his eyes upwards.  "Apparently I'll be missing four press conferences, four photo-calls, two radio interviews, three magazine interviews and a tv appearance.  Apparently my contribution to that is fifteen thousand pounds worth.  Also, I have to buy my own last minute ticket home!"

"Fuck!" Zayn whistled, eyes wide with astonishment.  "And Liam doesn't have to pay _anything_?"

"Not... exactly..." Louis shiftily admitted.  "He doesn't have to pay as much because it's a _family_ _emergency_."  He made sarcastic air quotation marks with his fingers at the reason.  "I said I'd cover his costs..."

"Which is?" Zayn asked, both sceptical and exasperated.

"Ten grand..."

"For _fucks_ sake Louis!" 

Zayn had the expression of someone who was chewing on an exceptionally large wasp.

"Mate!  Just wait _three_ more days!  Harry will be absolutely fine!  Just call him!  He would be shitting bricks if he knew about this!  What could he possibly be _this_ upset about anyway?"

"He's struggling with his revision.  His mock exams are starting the day after tomorrow and he's worried he's going to fail everything."  An expression of pure anguish crossed Louis' face.  "He's avoiding my calls!  He's crying!  Anne say's he looks really tired!  And did I mention he's avoiding my calls?"

"Seriously?"

Zayn sucked in a big breath and shook his head with disbelief.  Harry did seem like he was going through a rough patch, but still...

"You are going to throw away," he did some quick arithmetic in his head,  "twenty-five _grand_ in fines... and... what? Six grand for flights?  Just because Harry can't handle the pressure of his _mock_ exams?  And you can't wait another _three_ days?"

Zayn had been certain that Louis couldn't have looked more angry than when he had been glaring at Liam earlier - but he was sorely mistaken.

His face as red as though he had acquired a horrific case of sunburn, Louis slammed his fist down upon the nearest surface.

"Get out!" 

The words hissed from between his teeth with all the poisonous venom he could muster.  He was so angry, no, furious that he could feel himself trembling from head to toe.

Zayn held his hands up in surrender.

"Fine.  Do exactly what you want," he shrugged stiffly.  "But I think you're blowing this all out of proportion mate.  You go home now and you'll look ridiculous - Harry will think you're an over-protective prick... just like the rest of us!"

He fled the room the second he saw Louis' hand clench around his deodorant can.

 

"Louis?  Are you being serious?" Liam groaned when his mate knocked on his hotel room twenty minutes later - fully packed and ready to go.

"Why aren't you ready?" Louis demanded as his eyes travelled over Liam's belongings scattered around the room.  "You're not seriously telling me you're staying?  He's your brother!"

"Get in here!" groaned Liam in exasperation, grabbing Louis' shoulder and pulling him into his room.  The last thing they needed was someone on the same floor as them to tell the press that two members of One Direction were having a domestic.

"Lou, Zayn explained everything.  I've rung mum.  She says - and I agree - that you are being really stupid about all of this!  Harry is going to be fine!  He's not worth all this hassle!  We've got a job to do!"

"And who was it that made that all possible?" Louis asked, drawing himself up to full height.  "Or have you forgotten that you very nearly didn't make it here to begin with?  Wasn't that Harry?  You're loyal, patient, loving little brother who didn't owe you jack shit after how you had treated him?  Don't you think you owe him?  To be there for him when he needs us the most?"

"I believe it was Niall who got us to the audition," Liam replied stiffly, jaw clenched.

"Yeah?  Ok.  Niall got us to the audition," Louis agreed coldly.  "But who got us... sorry... you, on the stage?"

Liam opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, but no words came out.  What could he possibly say to that?

"I thought so," Louis stated coolly.  "I'm going to check in with Alberto about the flights, and then I will be waiting for you in the bar.  You've got half an hour - and you had better make the right decision!"

He went to let himself and his luggage out of the door, but stopped with his hand poised upon the door knob.

"By the way," Louis added quietly.  "I'm paying your fine, and for your flight.  It comes to about fifteen grand... and I know it will be worth every penny, because the look on Harry's face when he sees us will be priceless."  He laughed without humour.  "What's the point of having all this money if you can't use it to make people happy?" 

And with that, Louis left the room, calmly shut the door behind him, leaving Liam alone with his thoughts.

 

When Niall had woken sixteen year old Liam on that Saturday morning in July - Liam had no idea how drastically his life was going to change.

Half asleep and barely functioning, Liam let the sixteen year old Irish lad steer him into the bathroom, coax him to brush his teeth and then dress in the clothes he was handed.  Although he had no idea what he was doing or why, Liam didn't think to question it.  Even when he was walked towards the car - belonging to Niall's elder brother Greg - and told they were going on a little trip.

Barely batting an eyelid - although Liam did question later why he didn't make more of a fuss - Liam acknowledged Niall's cheerful chatter with a pinch of salt, only absorbing that they would be stopping at McDonald's for breakfast, before falling fast asleep on the nearest shoulder.

When he awoke, Liam found himself slumped against Zayn's upper arm.  Niall was yapping nineteen-to-the-dozen up front with Greg, seventeen year old Louis was snoring softly in the seat directly behind him - and to his immense disgust, his twelve year old baby brother was cuddled up in Louis' arms like a fluffy puppy!

"Where are we going?" Liam muttered as he stretched out as far as he could in such a small space.  

Niall turned immediately, the brightest grin on his face, almost bouncing in his excitement. 

"On the trip of a lifetime mate!" he enthused mysteriously.  "Wake the others, we're going to be there shortly!"

Liam poked Zayn gently until he began to rouse.  He considered shaking Louis awake, but instead he reached back over the seat and thumped Harry hard on his upper arm - stupid brat... why was he even here?

Liam feigned innocence as Harry yelped loudly which instantly served its purpose of waking Louis.  A scowl curled the corners of his mouth though as the older lad began to fawn upon the whimpering boy, even before he had fully regained consciousness.  

"You have got to be joking!" Zayn exclaimed, pressing his face against the window pane as Greg parked the car.  "Niall Horan!  Tell me we are not here for the X Factor auditions!  Are you out of your mind?"

Niall didn't reply as such, just let out one of his contagious hearty chuckles and gave his brother a high five.

"And this is why I kept it as a surprise!" he commented.  "Come on lads!  You said you wanted to take this seriously, I am taking this seriously.  We either need to go hard or go home!"

"Go home!" chorused Liam and Zayn together with equally aghast expressions.

"Ah, let's go for it!" Louis shrugged from where he was still rubbing Harry's inexplicably painful arm.  "What have we got to lose eh?" he turned soft, warm eyes to his best friend.  "What do you reckon Hazza?  Think we're good enough to face those judges?"

Harry nodded emphatically.  In his opinion, the boys were the best band he had ever heard!  They were so talented!  They were going to be the next Busted!  No!  They were going to be bigger than Busted!  They were going to win the X Factor!

"You have to do this!" Harry squealed with excitement, grabbing hold of Louis so tightly and bouncing up and down.  "You're gonna win!  I know it!  Nobody can be as good as you!"

"Easy mate, we haven't even auditioned yet." Zayn grinned gently at the younger boy's enthusiasm.  It was as though he'd suddenly had a change of heart.  "It would be good experience..."

"That's the spirit!" Niall beamed from his seat.  "Come on, we gotta register and get in line - Li?  Move your ass mate!"

Liam watched numbly as all but him jumped out of the car, laughing and pointing at the long queue and hyping each other up - Harry being the most enthusiastic out of all of them, and he wasn't even in the band!

This was NOT a good idea!  They had no business being here!  How could they go and sing in front of actual people?  This wasn't serious!  This was just mates larking about!  Nothing good would come from this!  They were about to become laughing stocks!

Liam had been so captivated with his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed the other lads walk away - everyone apart from Harry.

"Li?  Are you ok?" Harry asked him tentatively.  He glanced towards the others retreating, then back at his brother with timid, anxious eyes.  "You don't look very well."  He held out a bottle of water, offering it to the older boy as though it was the most precious gift he had in his possession.

"Fuck off!" Liam sneered at him, collecting himself rapidly and stalking past his brother to join his actual friends.  As he past Harry, out of spite he snatched the bottle of water, then very cruelly opened it in front of Harry's face, then very deliberately poured the contents onto the ground.  With a smirk he threw the bottle on the ground at Harry's feet.

Poor Harry looked absolutely heart broken - for a fraction of a second.  Then he just nodded bravely to himself, squared his small shoulders and ran to catch up with Louis.  He was so used to Liam's obvious dislike towards him that he didn't even complain or cry.  This had been happening for years now, to the point where he just accepted it.

Harry would never give up though.  There had to be a way to get through to his older brother somehow.  Even if it did hurt him when he was rejected every single time he reached out.

Waiting with the hundreds of hopeful contestants was more torturous than Liam had expected - and the longer they were in line - the more anxious he became.

The other lads were fine.  Niall was wandering up and down the line scoping out the competition, Zayn was on the lookout for anyone who might have a mirror and some hair spray - according to him he looked a right state!  Harry and Louis as always were amusing themselves with each other.  

When the band registered they were each given a sticker with a unique identification number written on it which had to be worn visibly throughout the audition process.  Niall, Liam and Zayn had all immediately attached theirs to the clothing across their chests, the other two were taking it a lot less seriously and were using the sticker as a prop in one of their little games.

First Louis pretended to stick it to the seat of his trousers, stating that he would sing with his back to the judges with his bum sticking out, which made Harry giggle.  Then he placed it over his crotch which made Harry positively howl with laughter when he wondered aloud if the judge's eyes would be drawn to his face or his package!

"Wish you could be in the room with us," Louis stated as he played with the sticker in his hands.  "We have never performed without you watching us.  You're my good luck charm!  What if I can't sing without you?"

Harry wished that he could be there too.  He scrunched his nose up as he tried to think of the next best thing whilst vaguely listening to a guy next to them talk about his trip to Las Vegas last year.  Apparently he was blaming his bad luck on not being able to find a pretty girl to kiss his dice!  He tried not to chuckle too loudly, but it made him think.

"I know where to put this," Harry nudged Louis as he took the sticker off him and started to peel off the paper to reveal the sticky side below.  When the entirety of it was exposed, Harry very carefully brought the sticky part up to his face and pressed a lip smacking kiss right in the centre leaving a faint print in its wake.  Then, with Louis' curious eyes upon him, Harry stuck the sticker across Louis' chest - right over his heart.

"Now I'll kind of be there with you," he beamed at his best friend as he made sure the sticker wouldn't come off, then let himself be folded into Louis' arms.  "So you will be able to sing, because you have my love and support stuck across your heart!" he added seriously.  "Because you know how much I believe in you right?"

Louis nodded, a small lump in his throat.  He doubted there was anyone else who believed in him more.

 

Hours after they had first lined up, it was almost their turn.  They had made it through the main doors and were one of six acts who had been ushered through to a corridor where they would shortly perform for the producers - these were the people who would decide if they were good (or bad) enough to face the actual judges.

Only five acts between them and humiliation - and it would all be his fault!  Liam couldn't sing!  Liam was the weakest link of the whole band!  There was nothing for it.  He would have to drop out!  The others could go on without him, he wouldn't mind!  

"I can't do this," he muttered to Louis who was next to him.

"Karma," Louis muttered back.  For the first time Liam noticed that he looked pissed off.  "Maybe if you treated Haz a little better you wouldn't feel this bad.  Try it sometime!"

So Louis had seen what Liam had done with the water bottle, or maybe knew that he had thumped his little brother earlier.  Liam didn't even feel guilty - Harry had done a lot worse to him!  He was certain.  Fair enough he couldn't exactly remember why.  All he knew was that he had hated Harry since he was very little - there must be a good reason!

"I still can't do this," Liam dismissed him.  He could feel saliva gathering in his throat, his stomach churning.  Liam knew exactly what this meant.  He was about to be sick - right in front of the producers!

Clapping a hand to his mouth, Liam fled from the corridor, pushed past all the other contestants and went flying through the large double doors.  He could feel it coming.  Liam looked left, then right, and charged for a nearby bush, coughing and gagging into the foliage.

"Bet you wish you still had that water."

Liam turned around slowly.  He felt disgusting.  He was sweating, there was vomit on his chin, and possibly on his trainers.

Harry offered him a tissue.  Their mum always insisted he kept a packet in his pocket - and Harry was too sweet to do anything but.  

Why didn't he give up?  Why did he keep trying to be nice to Liam?

At that moment though, Liam felt too ill to care.

"Thanks," he muttered, taking the tissue and wiping his mouth.

"Should I get Louis?" Harry asked, wide eyed, helpless and anxious.  "He'll know what to do.  Louis always knows what to do." 

There was actually pride in his voice as he spoke about Louis - which made Liam feel even more nauseous.

"Leave me alone," Liam told him.  It was like talking to a disobedient dog.  Harry would never leave him alone.  "You ruin everything!  This is all your fault!  If you hadn't have been so hyper about it, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Harry didn't leave.  He just looked confused while he cocked his head to one side.  Great!  Now he was a puzzled puppy!

"But you're really good!" he insisted.  "You could win!  I'm sure of it Li!  You have to try out!"

"What do you fucking care?" Liam sniped.  "Go and bother Louis..."

"But you're unhappy," Harry stated needlessly.  "And you were sick..."

"That's because you keep talking and I saw your face!" Liam retorted.  He knew he sounded childish - but he didn't care.

For the first time that day, Harry's face finally crumpled.  It was clearly one dig too far - Louis had told him loads of times that Harry was insecure about how he looked.

Head down, clearly crying, Harry went to leave - just what Liam wanted - but in a surprising turn of events Harry turned around slowly and fixated his glassy, tear filled eyes upon Liam.

"I know why you're like this," he almost whispered.

Liam's head snapped up and stared at his brother in shock.  Was Harry actually daring to answer him back?  

The younger lad was quivering like a leaf from his own bravery, pale in the face, possibly terrified of what Liam would say to him - but he didn't stop.  He kept going.

"You're so mean to me," Harry stuttered.  "And... and... it's not my fault Liam!  I'm not stupid, I know why you hate me.  I heard mummy talking about it to Jay - I'm not the reason your dad and our mummy don't love each other!"

Liam was shell shocked.  He had no idea what to say.  Of course it was Harry's fault.  He could remember now, he'd always known this.  Harry was meant to be as miserable as he was!  Harry had made his real dad unhappy, he had said so!  Hadn't he?

Liam said nothing.  His grudge ran deep.  But there was nothing to say.

Harry looked as though he was torn between leaving - most likely to run into the comforting arms of Louis - or saying more.

"Geoff would be really proud of you if you auditioned," Harry said suddenly.  "Wasn't he the reason you started playing the guitar in the first place?  Because he loved playing it when he was little - and got you one exactly like his for your birthday years ago?  He taught you how to play it.  He taught you the song you're going to sing today.  Don't you want to show him how good you are?  Don't you want to prove that you are as good as he thinks you are?"

Their eyes met.

"How do you know all of this?" Liam asked stupidly.  All this was true, but he didn't think Harry would know all of that!

Harry sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve - Liam still had his tissues.

"Because I'm interested in you," Harry told him sad and subdued.  "Because for years I wanted to be just like you and every time mum would talk about you I would listen because you would never tell me anything!"

Still Liam couldn't think of any kind of comeback.

"I'm going to find Louis," Harry decided realising that his best friend might be worried about him.  "You should come with me," he suggested to Liam hesitantly.  "You might think you're not good enough - the others are amazing, but they are so much better with you - and your dad will be so proud of you... think about that... even if you just try... he'll be proud of you... and... so will I.  No matter what you think of me. I will always support you."

"Harry!  Wait!"  Liam called out to his little brother as he made a move to go back inside.  Harry didn't turn, so Liam ran up to him and grabbed his shoulder.  

Instantly Harry flinched away.  Liam could be purposely rough with him at times.

"Why would you be proud of me?  Why would you even bother to support me?" Liam asked dumbfounded.  "I'm horrible to you!"

Harry stared at his shoes, then lifted his head.  His big green eyes filled with honesty.

"Because you're my brother, and I love you," he said simply.  "And if I support you when you need someone, one day you might love me back."

It was then that he walked away.  Liam watched him trot through the doors, across the hall and turn into the corridor where the rest of the band were waiting for them to return.

It really was now or never.  Harry's words echoed over and over in his head.  In a daze Liam traced Harry's footsteps, taking him back to his friends, and his little brother who he had suddenly gained unprecedented respect for.

 

Half an hour after twenty year old Louis had left nineteen year old Liam in his hotel room, Liam showed up at the bar, travelling clothes on, suitcase packed.

"You were right," he told Louis, ashamed of himself for previously thinking otherwise.  "Harry needs support.  We need to go home."

 

Neither Liam nor Louis spoke as Alberto and Preston drove them to the airport - Louis was anxious about what he was going to find when he got home, Liam brooded over how bad a brother he still was.

The flight between Australia and the U.K. was long haul - around twenty two hours - they couldn't have been further away from home.

Preston accompanied them to the gate.  He wouldn't be flying back himself, he was going to stay with the band as scheduled.  

Alberto however, would escort them all the way home, he had insisted upon it, explaining to the head of his team that he was hired to protect Louis - no matter if he was adhering to the bands schedule or not.

Alberto may be just seen as a security guard, but the level of responsibility he felt towards Louis went beyond office hours.  Over the years the pair had trotted the globe, wherever Louis went, Alberto was never too far behind.  They joked, they laughed, they conspired and shared their hopes and dreams.  What had started as a business arrangement had turned into a friendship - one that both of them were certain they would continue to develop their entire lives.

Their cabins were first class and situated next to each other.

After checking that both lads had everything they needed Alberto made up his bed, ordered a snack and settled down to make the most of the luxurious amenities - there were perks to working for One Direction.

As per usual, Liam and Louis kept the partition between their seats down so they could chat - if only they felt like talking.  Instead of watching films like he usually did, Louis made his own bed up, snuggled down and got out his headphones - intending on falling asleep whilst listening to a random playlist.

Instead...

"Lou?" Liam whispered, leaning over the partition and prodding his mate's shoulder with his finger. "Are you asleep?"

Louis' eyes opened, his whole expression was peevish and didn't feel like talking at all.

"I'm a horrible brother," Liam muttered to him, his puppy dog eyes awash with shame.  "I should have put him first, and I didn't.  I'm no better now than I was before."

"You are so much better a brother now mate," Louis jumped to reassure his oldest friend.  He sat up and rested his chin on the partition.  "Trust me, no one watches how you behave towards Harry more than I do.  If you turn into a dick again, I'll tell you in a heartbeat!"

"I was horrific to him wasn't I?" Liam was staring into space, picturing little flashbacks of the past.

Louis nodded.  There was no use pretending or trying to sugar coat his response.  Liam was a big boy, he knew what he had done.  

"Why did you stay friends with me?" Liam wondered aloud.  He'd never plucked up enough courage to ask Louis directly before.

"I almost didn't," Louis admitted easily.  "If Harry hadn't pleaded with me to keep the peace with you, I would have torn you a new one on several occasions!  If you honestly had any idea how many times he kept a brave face on when you were mean to him, held it together, then came and cried in my arms - I was ready to cut you out of my life so many times it was ridiculous!"

"Then why didn't you?  I would have deserved it!"

"I'm Harry's best friend Li, I do what he wants me to do.  If he comes to me with a specific request, I will do all I can to fulfil it.  To be honest, some of those requests worked out pretty well to be honest - in the long run..."

Liam stared at Louis intently.  He looked so sad and remorseful.

"Harry asked you to include me in your band didn't he?"

Louis nodded.  "He thought it would make you happy.  He was always trying to please you, make you change your mind about him.  Thank fuck you came around!"

"Thank fuck Harry forgave me."

Louis' shook his head.  "Harry is the most loyal, loving and accepting human you will ever meet - of course he forgave you - and since you have almost constantly attempted to make it up to him ever since our audition, I forgive you too."

"Do you think he knows?  You know, how much I care about him?"

Louis nodded slowly.  "Never hurts to remind him though.  You put him through a lot."

"Do you think I can make it up to him?  Properly?"

"You're doing it right now," Louis told him tiredly.  "Let's just hope he's ok when we get back eh?  Then we'll know what we are dealing with."

"As soon as he sees you," Liam patted Louis' shoulder in a comforting fashion. "He'll feel better immediately.  I don't know what it is, but you being around always... well... he glows mate."

Louis closed his eyes.  He tried not to, but he couldn't help smiling despite his worry.  He hoped he did have a positive effect on the younger lad - he just wished he could get home sooner.

After a long flight the last thing either Liam or Louis wanted were a hundred flash bulbs popping in their faces, but as always that was what they got.  Louis hoped Harry wouldn't be looking online at this hour - no doubt he looked a state.  He hadn't shaved, his hair was scraped back and not as clean as he would have liked and he hadn't managed to sleep from worry.  

If only he had thought to wear a hat like Liam had and hide!  Then again, he had a long drive ahead of him.  Plenty of time to have a quick shave, tidy his hair up a bit and spritz on a bit of aftershave.  He also wanted to change into Harry's favourite sweatshirt, the drive should give it enough time to absorb a good amount of his body heat.

Alberto led the way to where a car was waiting for them.  Liam called his mum on the way home.  It took half the journey to convince her he wasn't joking and that he and Louis were actually oh their way.  When she heard that they were back because of Harry she actually cried - well it was the middle of the night!

"Harry's going to be so surprised when he wakes up ext to us," Liam hummed happily at the thought.  "I'm so glad you insisted we did this," he rubbed Louis' knee.  "Don't worry mate, he'll be fine."

Louis sighed.  "He didn't want to talk to _me_ Li," he murmured.  "What if he isn't?"

"Then we won't leave until we sort it out," Liam shrugged.  "Trust me mate, Hazza will be fine.  If he isn't, we'll help him.

Louis tiptoed up the stairs towards Harry's bedroom.  There was a light shining underneath the door, which concerned Louis no end because he knew that Harry's first exam was the following morning - and it was gone midnight now.

Very gingerly Louis let himself into Harry's room - his heart melting at the sight in front of him.

Harry sat at his desk.  His head was resting on an open book, one arm curled around his face, his other arm clutching Boo the hedgehog on his lap.  From the little snuffles he was making, Harry was sound asleep.

"Babe?" Louis whispered softly as he gently stroked the younger boy's face with his index finger to wake him.

Harry could be described as kittenish as he awoke, his little nose twitching, a soft murmur - almost a purr - sounded from the back of his throat as he nuzzled his face fully into the palm of Louis' hand.  

 

Eyes still closed, still caught in the hazy wonderland where ones dreams blend into reality, Harry's lips curved into the sweetest little smile.  Only Louis would touch him that delicately - it was both a blessing and a curse that whilst sleeping Harry's memories were so vivid that his subconscious could actually make him feel Louis, as though he was right there in the room with him, instead of hundreds of miles away.

"Hazza?"

Harry could almost cry.  His heart was aching so much to actually have Louis by his side when he opened his eyes.

 

It had only been three weeks ago that Louis had left with Liam, Niall and Zayn.  

It felt longer.  

One Direction were internationally in demand, globetrotting all over the world and Harry was immensely proud of them... he just wished they didn't have to be so far away.

Especially now.  Especially after his dream. Especially after his disappointment on New Year's Eve.

Harry had never been in this position before and he couldn't begin to understand all these new thoughts and feelings which were understandably unsettling.

At first his thoughts on the idea of himself and Louis being in a romantic relationship were full of intrigue, curiosity and on the whole quite mild.  

But when Louis didn't read his mind and give him his first ever kiss - at midnight on New Year's Eve - mild musings transformed into full blown fantasy.  The fact that he didn't get it, only made Harry desire it so much more.

The last few days they spent together - before Louis had to leave with the band - Harry had found himself absolutely transfixed with the elder alpha's mouth.  He just couldn't stop staring at it.  When Louis talked, ate, even yawned - Harry couldn't tear his gaze away.

Then Louis had to leave, and Harry was left alone, with nothing apart from a million questions left unanswered to keep him company.

Should he say something?  Had Louis already guessed?  Was it just Louis he felt this way about?  What did that mean for his sexuality?  Would the other kids at school know what he was thinking?

The questions manifested inside Harry's innocent little mind until they were all he thought about, consuming him from the inside out.  There was no one to share with, nobody to confide in.  Sometimes he felt as though he was all alone, but then Louis would call him and for a brief time all his questions would be spirited away from his mind.

As soon as he hung up the phone though they would creep back into his subconscious yet again.

There was only one thing certain to keep his mind from wandering:

Spending every single waking moment dedicated to revising for his mock exams.  Not only did the constant information intake give him something else to concentrate, but the activity also held a practical purpose.  He and Louis had plans for when he was finished with school.  Plans which could only go ahead if he achieved the required GCSE results.  There was no way that he was going to fail when there was so much importance riding upon them.

One week after Louis and the band went to Australia Harry spent every waking moment either at school or revising.  At first he stopped talking to his mum and dad, saying that he had work to do - but he didn't realise how stressed he had become until his Skype call with Liam, who made him realise that he had also done the unimaginable and cut Louis out of his little world too.

As soon as Harry had hung up on his brother he threw himself down on his bed, hugging Boo tightly to him and cried as though his heart was breaking.  Shouting at his mum and barricading his door shut made him howl even more.  What was happening to him?  Why was everything falling apart?  How could he fix things?

Louis' phone was turned off.  So was Liam's.  Had they given up on him completely?

Harry didn't go to school the next day.  His mum and dad didn't make him.  It was like they knew he needed to be alone.  After all his exams did start the next day.  For hours he fitfully fell in and out of sleep, then dragged his tired self to his desk - intent upon getting a few more hours of last minute revision - but even as he started to read the words on the page, Harry felt his eyes get heavier and heavier... Louis' phone was still off.  So was Liam's...

He didn't leave a message on either.  He wanted to look on Twitter - but he couldn't bear to see Louis' happy smiling face when he was feeling so much uncertainty.  Harry was so tired of missing him.  He didn't want to spend another sleepless night crying.

If he hadn't have been so wrapped up in his own thoughts, his heavy head drifting closer towards the pages of his open text book, Harry would have heard the sound of a car door in the driveway, and two sets of footsteps hurrying to his very own front door.

 

"Let's get you to bed sweetheart," Louis whispered in his ear and pressed his lips to Harry's pale cheek.  His poor baby looked exhausted, but he couldn't leave him sleeping at his desk like this.

Harry's eyes fluttered open, a look of disoriented astonishment on his face.

"Lou?" 

Harry was blinking rapidly, an overwhelming surge of heat flooded through his body.  It flushed his cheeks, caused his bones to tremble and weaken.  The one face he had been desperate to see in the whole wide world was inches in proximity to his own.  Was this real?  That face was meant to be half the world away!  Was this a dream?  Was he so tired that he was hallucinating?

"It's ok babe, I'm right here sweetheart," Louis crooned thumbing at his cheek. This discolouration under the younger lad's eyes concerned him greatly as did the paleness of his skin, but in his heart he was certain that his Harry would be fine.  He just needed a big dose of Louis' special brand of tender loving care, which the alpha had every intention on lavishing upon him.

Harry was struggling to sit up, but as always Louis was one step ahead of him, lifting him easily in his arms and rubbing his nose from Harry's temple down to his jawline.  Just as he expected Harry melted like butter into his arms.  Yes, Louis was certain that Harry really would be fine.

Hot tears flowed down Harry's cheeks, confusion and happiness mixed together so tightly knit that he couldn't decipher one emotion from the other.

 

"Lou?  Bring him into my room," Liam hissed from the door.  "My bed's bigger than his."

Harry craned his neck around Louis' shoulder to see.  There in the doorway to his bedroom, large as life, was his brother. There were no words to express what Harry was feeling.  It was too overwhelming.  Why weren't they still in Australia?  What were they doing here?  Not that he was complaining, this was the best surprise he had ever had!

Feeling as limp as a rag doll, Harry felt himself bounce in time to Louis' footsteps as he was carried in the older lad's arms down the hall into Liam's bedroom.  

"Tuck him in the middle," Harry heard Liam's low tone utter to Louis.  "He looks cold, poor lad.  He's been crying again."

Harry was trembling.  When Louis tried to place him under the duvet he refused to let go, digging his trembling fingers into his bicep.

"I'm not going anywhere love," Louis promised, wiping away his tears.  "We're back.  We're going to look after you babe," he tugged at the sweatshirt he was wearing.  "Look love, I wore your favourite sweatshirt so it would be all toasty and warm for you to sleep in."

Harry's eyes flitted silently from Louis' anxious face to the sweatshirt he was trying to pull over his head with his one free arm.  Harry may be lying in bed now, but was clutching one hand tightly to his chest - scared that if he let go, Louis would disappear in a puff of smoke.

"Haz?  Are you ok mate?" Liam asked, concerned with how unresponsive his little brother was.  He was unsure about the tears too that still glistened in his eyes.

"He's fine," Louis replied.  His tone soft and loving as he resumed caressing Harry's cheek.  "He's just in shock.  You weren't expecting us to come and see you, did you love?" 

With a cautious smile he flapped the sleeve of the sweatshirt he was half wearing in Harry's face.

"You wanna let go for half a sec babe?  Let me get this off me and on you?"

Harry frowned faintly, but he loosened his grasp.  Louis didn't disappear.  All was well so Harry let Louis slip his sweatshirt over his head, careful to not catch his nose or ears, lovingly smoothing down the front.  It was as though his alpha had never been away.

The bed dipped as Liam climbed in to his left.

"I'm so sorry Harry," he whispered to him. Tone as sombre as his expression.  "We should have come back sooner.  I'm so sorry about what I said to you on Skype.  Can you forgive me?"

"For what?" Harry managed to ask, his mouth dry.

Liam closed his eyes, once again fighting his inner demons over how he had treated Harry in the past.

"You were always there for me," Liam replied quietly,  "and when you needed me, I... wasn't..."

"Not now Li," Louis quickly hushed him with a flick of his fingers to his nose.  "Harry's got to be up early tomorrow.  Wrap it up on a positive note eh?  Our little brainiac needs to get some sleep!"

Harry smirked in spite of himself.  His feelings of anxiousness were thawing.  His head was feeling lighter.  They were here.  They were actually here!  Especially for him.

"Erm..." Liam looked peeved at his heart warming speech being interrupted.  But once again it was not the time to make it all about him. "You need me, so I'm here for you Haz," he finished quickly as he squeezed his little brother's hand.  "Get some sleep mate.  We'll take you to school in the morning."

"My turn!" Louis piped up.  Harry's smile widened as his best friend propped himself up on one elbow and hovered over Harry's torso.  "We love you, we're here for you and we'll explain everything tomorrow," he promised faithfully.  Then with the delicacy of a butterfly alighting upon a flower he kissed Harry's forehead, before turning him around in his arms - becoming the big spoon as always - comforting his baby to the very core.

In front of him Liam settled down to sleep. But there was one thing bugging him, he had to say it - he had to say it now.

"Harry?"

Harry was snuggling as far back into Louis' frame as he could, surrounded in comfort and softness with the sweetest smile on his little face.

"Mmm?" he murmured, barely cracking open his eyes.

"However you do tomorrow," Liam whispered, remembering his X-Factor audition so many years ago, "we know you will be trying your hardest, and... I am so proud of you.  I believe you are going to do so well... and, I love you very much."

Harry's eyes popped open and met Liam's big brown ones watching him in the darkness.  

Liam's love was all he ever wanted from his brother, and to be honest it was something he had felt growing stronger over recent years.  But to hear such a strong declaration was something which he had once thought would never happen.  It was strange to think there was a time when the prospect of them being close brothers had been an impossible dream.

But sometimes the impossible did happen.  His and Liam's relationship was proof of that. 

Behind him Louis nuzzled his nose into the back of his neck and stroked his chest with the tips of his fingers.

Would Harry be lucky enough to experience the impossible twice?

 

Liam was fast asleep.  Mouth half open, snoring quietly.

Harry was wide awake, and he just knew that behind him Louis was too.  Very carefully he turned himself around in his best friend's arms, so that they were nose to nose.  His breath caught in his throat.  Just one glance into Louis' soulful eyes and every question he had ever asked himself about his feelings was instantly answered.

Harry was in love with Louis.  Nobody else, just Louis.

"Hey," Louis whispered to him, the tense muscles in his face relaxing when Harry smiled.  "Are you ok?  Can't you sleep?" 

Harry shook his head.  A stray curl flopped over his eye which Louis dutifully removed with a flick of his finger.  "Can we go back to my bed?" he asked quietly.  "Can it just be us?"

Louis beamed knowingly and together they left Liam alone and crept back to Harry's bedroom.  The bed was much smaller, but when they were together they never really needed much space.

"You came home," Harry whispered dumbly as soon as they were settled.  His hands felt a little cold, but it was perfectly natural for him to slip them up the back of Louis' t-shirt and press his palms against the warm skin of his back.  "You're not scheduled to be back for ages!  What happened?"

"You stopped talking to me," Louis frowned.  He wanted to ask so much, but it was so late and he didn't want his boy to be tired the next day so he couldn't concentrate.  However, some things he couldn't keep inside once questioned.  

"Why didn't you tell me you were so upset and worried over your exams?" he blurted out with a small sad hiss.  "I could have helped you!  I could have come home earlier!  You tell me everything!  I had to hear you crying on the phone when I talked to Anne!  Is something else going on?  Please Harry!  I was so fucking worried about you!"

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered, his mouth getting carried away through tiredness.  "I just didn't know how to handle all of this.  Everything is so new, and I've been so confused!  I _am_ worried about my exams, but..."

"What?" Louis exclaimed, half forgetting to be quiet, suddenly so worried that he was verging on the edge of being demanding.  "What are you talking about?  What's new?  What's confusing?  Why didn't you talk to me about it?  Have I done something wrong?  Have I upset you?"

 _I'm in love with you_ Harry thought with a heavy heart.  He wanted to say it aloud, but now was not the time.  Louis was too upset, and Harry wasn't ready.  After all, he had only just admitted it to himself.  It was still new.  It was still confusing.  The moment had to be right.

"I missed you," he whispered instead.  "I had been with you for so long, and then you just went away, and it's weird.  The time zones are rubbish.  I can't keep track of where you are or what I'm doing.  I miss your face, I miss spending time with you.  As happy for you as I am, I hate that you're always so far away."

The hug Louis bundled Harry into was fierce and emotional.  He loved Harry so much it was painful to realise that the real reason Harry had been so sad was because of him - because he wasn't around.

"Just a few more weeks love," he promised huskily, mouthing his words right into Harry's ear.  "Just until the end of your proper exams and then you'll be with us from May till September.  Just a little longer baby, you can do that right?"

Harry nodded against the side of Louis' cheek.  If he tried really hard he could manage that - now that he knew within himself what he was dealing with.  He could do anything, as long as Louis was the finish line.

"I'm sorry I worried you," Harry mumbled nosing into Louis' neck.  He was feeling so comfortable and sleepy - as though Louis had never been away.  "I promise I'll never stop talking to you again, or, if I do have to turn my phone off because I feel rubbish, I'll let you know first.'

"I just wish I had come home sooner," Louis mused regretfully.  "Or at least been clever enough to phone your mum and make her pass the phone to you!  I wouldn't have fucked it up like Liam did!"  He rolled onto his back and let Harry scramble and flop on top of him, tucking his curly head under his chin, cheek smushed against his chest, whining playfully until Louis began to trace lazy circles on his back.  Harry was definitely getting into sleep mode now.

"To be honest, I don't know why you did," Harry stated suddenly with a yawn.  "Come home I mean.  I really missed you, and you have no idea how glad I am that you are here - and what Li said earlier was really amazing," he added.  "But from your point of view, it was only my   _mock_  exams!" he gave a little snort. "Not even the real thing.  I bet Zayn is going to laugh at you like anything if he finds out.  Honestly Lou, I would have got through them fine!"

Even though he was half the world away, Louis felt as though he could actually hear Zayn speak to him.

_"I fucking told you so... dick!"_

Louis breathed in the scent of Harry, which he related to the scent of home.  His bank account might be a few thousand pounds lighter, he might have pissed off part of his management team and two of his closest friends might think he had acted crazy!

For starters money wasn't everything.  And as for what people thought about the situation, Louis just pitied them for not having someone in their lives who they were prepared to drop everything at a moments notice for - after all, when you loved someone, no distance was too far and nothing was too much trouble.  Louis was certain that insisting they came home was the best rash decision he had ever made - and he would do it all over again in a heartbeat!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter nine!  
> I just wanted to say thank you so much for the comments, new subscribers and kudos you have been so kind in giving. It's so nice to know that you're enjoying what we're doing and we're very grateful for the time you take to let us know. Thank you so much.  
> Hope you continue to enjoy :):)

"Have you seen the shit storm you've created going down online?" Zayn asked bluntly the moment Liam opened his front door.  "I was actually tailed to my mum's house from the airport, then followed here!  It's crazy!"

Liam carefully shut the door, his expression sheepish.  He was part of the reason Zayn was being hounded by the tabloid press, only part of it mind!

"Did you bring the banner?" Louis demanded as he scurried out from the kitchen.  "I want it over the fireplace!" he checked his watch anxiously.  "Quick as you can mate, they could be back any minute!"

Zayn glared at Liam meaningfully.

"Thanks Lewis!  It's great to see you too!" he muttered sarcastically, fully aware that he might as well be talking to himself.  "Have you been online lately?"

"Eh?" Louis asked, completely distracted with brightly coloured parcels.  "You can put Harry's present over here mate... Liam?  Where's yours?  It's not here!  Go get it!"

Liam shook his head indicating his loss of hope.

"Don't think you'll get his full attention till after the birthday boy has been catered for," he whispered to Zayn who huffed in annoyance.  "I've seen the gossip.  It's proper shit mate, but you and Nialler handled it incredibly well."

"Like you and him left us much choice," Zayn commented in a peevish fashion as he began to unroll his latest piece of artwork.  "You two up and left.  You'd barely got on the plane when the split rumours started!  Three days of press for the album turned into three days of repeatedly denying that we had had a massive fight!"

He fixed his side of the banner to the ceiling, and waited for Liam to climb upon his chair on the other side of the fireplace. "I had to talk in the interviews!" Zayn continued with a shake of his head.  "Which were horrific by the way!  How many different ways can you tell someone that your band _isn't_ breaking up?"

He heaved a long suffering sigh.  "You have no idea how close I was to faking an unscheduled rut just to get out of them!"

Liam stifled a smirk.  It was common knowledge that Zayn wasn't the chattiest of guys when it came to interviews and preferred to let the others do the majority of the talking, or was it that he simply couldn't get a word in edgeways?

"This alright Lou?" Liam called out to his friend as he swept into the room with a bunch of helium balloons.

"Fantastic!" Louis nodded with approval as he glanced over Zayn's spray painted handy work.  "Just what I wanted!"

Zayn preened at the compliment, but when he opened his mouth to respond Louis was already looking at his watch impatiently once again.

"Where is Niall?" he wailed and turned desperately to Liam and Zayn for reassurance.  "Harry and Anne are going to come back any minute!  We're not ready!"

"Chill out bro, he's picking up Flack from the station," Zayn reminded him patiently. This wasn't the first time he had witnessed Louis flapping over something minuscule, and he'd discovered in the past that the easiest way to pacify him was to not react. 

"But what if..." Louis' phone began to ring.

"Lou?" Niall asked urgently as soon as the older boy picked up.  "Are you at Liam's?  You're gonna have to let us in the backdoor.  The paps are camped on the street outside!"

"Eh?" Louis asked confused and wandered towards the living room window to have a look outside.  "What are you talking about?  Has something happened?"

"Just let us in." Niall sighed as he hung up. Louis could be so oblivious sometimes.

"Why have we got press on our doorstep?" Louis asked as he watched the few men with cameras loitering in front of the house.

"Now he notices!" Zayn muttered.  He plucked Louis' phone out of the lad's hands and pulled up his Twitter account.  "Check this out mate."

Louis scrolled through the hashtag with a frown on his face.

"Well, that's a load of bullshit!" he dismissed with a wave of his hand.  "We're not splitting up.  You said so.  These tabloids will over-react over anything won't they?"

"Why don't you say something?" Liam suggested.  "Some of the fans are getting a bit antsy because you haven't, and since you are one of the reasons why they think we're splitting..." he stopped as a loud banging echoed from the kitchen.  Niall and Caroline had arrived.

"Where's the cake?" Louis demanded before Niall had fully stepped inside and eyed the large white box in his hands.  "You didn't drop it did you?"

"Just ignore him," Zayn replied to the withering look Niall shot in his direction.  "He'll be a lot more sensible once Harry has had his surprise."

"Where can I put these?" Caroline asked and indicated to the large bouquet of flowers she held.  She lowered her voice to a whisper to Niall and Zayn.  "I don't want to put them in the wrong place and annoy the party planner!"

"Presents on the table!" Louis hollered from the living room.  "Just got a text from Anne!  They'll be here in about ten minutes!  Everybody drop everything and help me!"

"Is he always this controlling?" Caroline asked in surprise.  When Niall had warned her that Louis would be a bit bossy on their arrival, she had truly thought he had been exaggerating.

"Yes!" three voices echoed in response.  But each of them was equally fond.  You were allowed to be a little bossy among friends.

 

Harry barely noticed the men with cameras as his mum parked their car on the drive.  He was used to random people hanging around his house, hoping to get a glimpse of Liam or Louis.  Anne had been convinced that someone had been through her bin on at least one occasion!

Harry didn't bother to pay them any attention now.  He had much more important things to think about.  

For starters, it was his birthday.  His sixteenth birthday to be exact, and he was going to be spending the whole day with his favourite people.  Secondly, his mum had just taken him to choose his birthday present and although it wasn't something she had been expecting to return home with, Harry put a good case to her which had been impossible to deny, especially since he had also been able to report (with the most delirious grin on his face) that he had received an 'A' or an 'A-plus' for every single one of his mock exams.  Harry really did deserve whatever present he wanted.

Anne was a little more bothered about the photographer's than Harry was.  Especially when they started snapping away at the pair of them and calling out questions about her eldest son and his friend.  She didn't agree with their morals, especially when they tried to get the attention of her youngest son by... grabbing at his sleeve and peppering him with ridiculous questions. 

"Has your brother left One Direction?  What was the big fight about?  Has someone in your family died?  Was that the emergency?  What does Louis have to do with that?  Is it true you contemplated suicide?" 

Anne's eyes blazed as she slapped the hand away from her son's arm.  How dare this stranger touch her child!

Wide eyed and stunned Harry sidestepped behind his mum, clutching his birthday present to his chest.  Big fight?  Suicide?  What were they talking about?

"Hey!"

Harry's face whipped around to see Louis with a face like thunder storming towards them, fists balled at his sides, a snarl upon his lips, jaw clenched.  He looked furious.

"Go inside Harry," Louis commanded in a tone which he was struggling to control.  "Anne, let me talk to them.  Go with Harry."

Anne didn't object, especially when she saw Liam emerging from the house along with Zayn and Niall striding towards them with equally nonchalant faces.  Clearly they had seen everything.  Louis was too angry to handle this on his own.  He needed the full support of his band, and they were not shy at coming forward.

Immediately the men on the pavement turned their attention and their cameras to the four lads now standing in front of them.

"Are you splitting up?  Louis did you punch Niall?  Did your brother try to commit suicide?  Why did you abandon your band in Oz if there isn't a problem?  What was the emergency?"

"Mate, we're not splitting up," Liam stated to the press at he wrapped an arm around Louis' shoulders.  "Yes, I did have a family emergency, but it's all been sorted out now.  No one has died.  My brother is perfectly healthy both mentally and physically and we are all here today to celebrate his birthday."

"But what about the fight?"

"There was no fight," Zayn told them coolly.  "Liam and Louis had to go home, Niall and I stayed behind to adhere to our commitments as a band, but they both had our blessing and full support at all times."

Niall nodded emphatically at his side.  This was definitely the darker side of their success.  But if they all faced it together, they would be fine.

After a few group photos, Louis pulled faces because he was still too angry to pull off a proper smile.  All of them doubted it would help their cause against whatever the tabloids were reporting about them today, but hopefully this would placate these guys enough to get them away from the house to not ruin Harry's birthday any longer.  For one thing, the birthday boy was already inside the house.  Surprise properly ruined!  Louis was livid!

 

Harry had felt upset and confused until he stepped into his hallway and was greeted by Caroline who pulled him into a huge hug.

"Happy birthday sweet!" she exclaimed and loudly smacked a kiss upon his cheek.  "Don't worry about those idiots outside.  Now the lads have had a word with them, they'll go away."

"They thought I had tried to kill myself!" Harry told her bleakly.  "Is that what people are saying about me?  Why would they do that?"

Caroline shrugged sympathetically.  She knew first-hand how the tabloids would print anything in order to get their publication sales.  "Liam and Louis left a promo trip early.  They needed a far-fetched story to go with it.  When Niall and Zayn claimed it was because of a family emergency and when you stopped being active on Twitter they jumped to conclusions.  It's the rubbish side of fame sweet."

"But I'm not famous!"  Harry argued and followed Caroline into his kitchen.  "Why are they even monitoring my activity online?  I'm not in the band! I'm nobody!"

"You're famous to the Directioners," Caroline smiled as she poured him a cup of tea.  "They love you and your little videos and messages.  You're best friends with Louis, you're Liam's brother - you make them feel closer to them I guess - so when you went offline, they worried about you.  It's quite sweet when you think about it."

"But now they are stuck having to defend me!"  Harry honestly felt as though he was about to cry.  He just caused so much trouble for everyone.  If he hadn't have been so selfish with his emotions then Liam and Louis wouldn't have felt that they needed to come home early, and everyone would still be happy.  He pulled out his phone and for the first time in days logged into his Twitter account.  He should really send out a light hearted message to prove that he really was ok.  But then his notifications started to roll in.

"What is this?" Harry mumbled tearfully, looking up from the first article that he has seen the headline for.  "What  _is_ this?"

**1D'S PAYNE PAYS OUT £30,000 IN SHOCK SIBLING SUICIDE ATTEMPT**

"Don't read that shit!" 

Zayn came up behind him and plucked the phone from Harry's quivering finger tips before wrapping an arm around his chest and giving him a squeeze.  "It's absolute bullshit Hazza.  None of that article has a shred of truth in it."

"But they think..." 

"They don't think.  That's kinda the problem," Niall said, kneeling down in front of Harry, rubbing his calves in a soothing fashion.  "But it will all blow over in no time.  They'll find someone else to bother soon enough."

"But why me?" Harry asked.  He was embarrassed now because he really was crying.  "What did I do?  Don't they like me?  I haven't done anything wrong!  Have I?"

"No!" Louis exploded from the kitchen door.  Liam had caught Louis and Anne up with what had been said through the media over the last few days, and to say he was furious was an understatement.  He strode straight to Harry, shoved Niall out of the way and gave his boy a huge hug.  This was so unfair!  It was Harry's special day and now it was ruined!

"I'm so sorry Lou," Harry whispered to Louis sadly.  He felt small and stupid, an unnecessary hassle.

"This is not your fault," Louis told him bluntly.  Around them Caroline, Niall and Zayn all made noises of agreement.  Liam was still in the hall trying to calm his mum down.  "It's not about you.  It's not even about us, not really.  It's about paper sales.  You know this babe - please don't let something this pathetic ruin your birthday.  If anyone should be sorry, it should be me and Liam for putting those twats in a position where they had to write something that upset you."

Harry held onto Louis tight.  The longer he hugged his best friend, the more reassured he felt.  After all, these were the people who mattered.  He could feel Niall patting his shoulder, Zayn's fingers gently scratch his scalp through stroking his hair, and from the sound of it Caroline was making him another cup of tea.  These were the people that mattered.  Not the writers who made up stupid stories for the papers!

"Agghhhh!  What is that?"  Caroline suddenly squeaked in alarm as she fled from one side of the kitchen to the other, her wide eyes fixed on the small box which Harry had deposited on top of the counter when he required both hands to use his phone.  "I'm not joking, but it just moved!"

"Er, that's my birthday present," Harry chuckled awkwardly as he went to fetch it.  "They must be awake."

" _They_?" squeaked Caroline inching backwards.  There was something about the unknown which she just didn't like.  Even Louis and the rest of the lads looked a little curious.  Harry hadn't told them he was getting something _live_ as a present.

Aware that all eyes were on him and the cardboard box, Harry turned it around and carefully undid the lid to reveal its contents.

"Hamsters?" Zayn asked with a quirk of his eyebrow, whilst Caroline and Niall immediately rushed to Harry's side to coo over the cute tiny animals.

Harry rolled his eyes.  "Well I couldn't get a kitten or a puppy could I?  I wouldn't be able to bring them with me when I come on tour with you.  These little guys can come everywhere!"

Louis' face was a picture of amusement.  "You got hamsters," he smiled fondly.  "What are you going to do with them?  Take funny little pictures of them and photoshop them fighting with light sabres?"

He had been joking, but the impish grin upon Harry's face told Louis he was closer to the truth than he had imagined.  

Harry was just too adorable sometimes.  Clearly he wasn't the only one who thought so.  Louis wasn't keen on how Caroline had perched Harry on her lap and was stroking one of Harry's new pets, her chin resting on his shoulder.  They looked too close for his comfort.

"Got a surprise for you birthday boy!" he announced.  He wasn't shy about admitting it to himself.  As much as he appreciated Harry and Caroline's friendship, Louis wanted the attention back on him!

A huge dimpled smile cracked upon Harry's face as Louis grabbed the hamsters' box out of his hands and pulled him into the living room.

Harry honestly didn't know what to look at first.

There was a huge birthday banner stretched across one wall, undoubtedly created by Zayn if the spray painted words were anything to go by.  "That's amazing!" he told the older lad who smiled back at him proudly.

On the table in the centre of the room was the biggest pile of presents Harry had ever seen, and considering all he had asked for was a blank scrap book, much more than he had ever expected.  But then again, Louis always did have a habit of going over the top for his birthdays, and sixteen was a very special one.

"Look at this cake!" Harry exclaimed as he laid eyes upon what was standing in the middle of the presents.  "This is absolutely mad!"  He turned to Niall straight away.  "Thank you so much!"

Niall laughed and ruffled Harry's hair.  Just because he enjoyed food - to a large extent - didn't mean that he made every edible present brought to a party.

"Caggs made it," he shrugged, then grinned happily as Harry threw his arms around his friend to thank her.

"How could I not make you this after you went on for ages one night about how much you love chocolate coated strawberries?" Caroline reminded him fondly.

Louis could feel his eyes narrowing with disdain.  Whose idea was it to invite her?  Why was he so jealous?

"Hope it tastes as good as it looks," Caroline frowned.

Niall toyed with a desert fork.  "I will be more than happy to find out!"  After all, if he didn't like it, the creation would be considered by all to be inedible!

Before they started on the cake, Louis insisted that Harry was to open his presents.  

Louis was a self-confessed nightmare when it came to his best friend's birthday.  Everywhere he went he would pick up something to save for his special day - no matter how big or small it was - and now he could order things online too, Jay forever had to go and collect parcels from the post office.

When Liam and Louis had pestered Harry to find out if there was anything in particular he wanted for his birthday he had taken ages to say what he wanted, and in typical Harry fashion it wasn't much.  All he wanted was a large scrap book so he could document the time he spent on the road with them, and hopefully a proper Skype call so he could see them on his birthday, having been convinced that the band would still be in Australia on that particular date.

Obviously neither Liam nor Louis would have been anywhere but at home for Harry's special day, which would have been part of the surprise, but as standard practice things had gone a bit wrong and they had arrived home early.

Of course, they were still able to surprise him by arranging for his (second) best friend Caroline to come over for the day, and all the presents he had no idea about.

Caroline's gift - along with the specially made cake - was a large bouquet of wild flowers.  Harry loved flowers.  He loved the wide spectrum of colours and shades, the different scents, the texture of the petals and leaves against his skin (and his lips).  She'd also lovingly crafted a little crown of large daisies.  When she placed them atop Harry's curls, his smile really did shine a little bit brighter.

Begrudgingly, Louis accepted that it was one positive attribute Flack had about her to allow him to give blessing to a friendship with his Harry.  She let him be himself.  Caroline knew that Harry appreciated the simple beauty in a bouquet of flowers, knew he would wear a flower crown with pride, and all she did was indulge him.

Just as long as she didn't try to take his place...

It was Zayn who had brought Harry the actual scrap book he had asked for.  It was huge, but would fit inside his suitcase, and had a smart hardback cover made from black leather.  The pages were thick acid free parchment, which Harry couldn't wait to start filling up with pictures, poems, quotes and cuttings.  By the time he had finished with it, it would be a masterpiece.

From Niall, Harry received a new pair of Ray Ban sunglasses (if only to prevent the younger lad to stop borrowing his) and a One Direction duvet and pillow set which wasn't even on sale to the public yet!  Harry did love to get exclusive merchandise and show it off on Twitter!

Liam had taken it upon himself to scour websites, compare reviews and even consulted professional photographers in order to choose his gift.  A brand new digital camera, which would be easy enough for a beginner to learn with, but had the capability of capturing some great shots with a little practice.  Needless to say, Harry was completely overwhelmed.  He had never expected to receive something so thoughtful, especially when he hadn't even asked for one!  

Anne and Des' present for Harry had of course been the two hamsters, cage, bedding and the promise that they would buy all the food the little ones would require.  They also gave him a substantial amount of spending money, which they knew he would need very soon!

Then there was Louis.  

First there were the small bits and pieces.  Brand new gel ink pens covering every colour of the rainbow, ranging from pale pastels, metallic, glitter through to the brightest and most luminous of pinks, greens and oranges.  Sticking with the scrapbook theme, Louis had also wrapped up adhesives to attach bits and pieces neatly and securely.  When Harry had a project in mind, he put every effort into it. If Louis could encourage him in any small way he would.

Next was clothing.  Harry could safely say that he now had Jack Wills everything.  T-shirts, a brand new hoodie, a smart jacket and a pair of boxers for every day of the week.

It was when Harry was opening DVD box sets of his favourite television shows that the friends and family watching exchanged amused glances.  Louis spoiled his boy rotten to an embarrassing extent.  But the smile upon his face as he watched the birthday boy exclaim over each item he unwrapped was so big, so bright and so pleased with himself that none of them dared to comment.

"Just one more present left," Louis finally said regretfully, although as always he had saved the best gift till last, "and you can't open this one."

Harry was sat across Louis' lap with the older lad's arms wrapped around his little waist.  The tips of Louis' fingers just slightly underneath the hem of Harry's t-shirt, idly caressing the skin he found there.  

It was so natural, and something Louis had done thousands of times, but today it was all that Harry could concentrate upon, and if he was honest, it was making him a little lightheaded!

"As you know, in a week we're going to be back in London," Louis reminded Harry, so excited to spill his secret that he could barely keep the words inside his mouth, "and we're going to have the following weekend off," he paused for a split second to see if Harry could guess what was coming next.  "How would you like to spend the whole weekend sightseeing?  We can go on the London Eye, we can visit the Tate and the Globe!  Plus, we'll be staying at _The_   _Savoy_ so we can have a meal at Gordon Ramsey's restaurant.  I know you've always wanted to go."

Harry couldn't say a word.  He was actually stunned speechless.  Was this for real?  This was the most incredible present ever! Instead of words Harry threw himself into Louis' arms, hugging him so tight, hearing Louis chuckle delightedly in his ear whilst pressing a kiss to his temple.

"I love you," Harry whispered to Louis before he pulled away.  His brain was calculating too quickly.  He knew that the weekend Louis was referring to was the one where Valentine's Day fell.

Louis actually wanted to spend Valentine's Day with him, maybe even have a meal together, maybe a little kiss...

There was no doubt about it, a conversation needed to be held... soon!

 

"How are you feeling sweet?" Caroline asked, peeping around the doorframe of Harry's bedroom door.

Harry stood over his desk where he had set up his hamsters' new home.  There was a little house filled with cosy bedding to hide in (where they were currently hiding), fresh water and food and a cute little wheel for them to run around on.

Harry grinned at her.  He was still wearing his flower crown and quite honestly he looked adorable.

"I'm great!" he enthused.  "Niall has taken the boys to abuse his Nando's black card and get us takeaway.  He says he's going to get a bit of everything - but don't worry, I made him promise to get you a huge portion of the mashed potato."  Harry smiled proudly.  "I know it's your favourite."

"Thanks H." 

Caroline sat down on Harry's bed, which was already made up in his new bedding, and watched as Harry tried to peer inside the hamster house.

"Chosen any names yet?"

Harry scrunched up his nose thoughtfully.  

"I'm not sure yet," he mused.  "I think I'll have to spend some proper time with them, get to know their personalities before I commit to anything."

Caroline burst out laughing.  That was just so Harry!

"Caggs?  Can I talk to you about something?" Harry asked as he self-consciously rubbed the side of his nose with a pawed hand.  

Caroline frowned at the seriousness, but patted the space next to her on the bed.

"What's up?" she asked quietly when Harry had sat down beside her.  "Are you ok?"

"I'm sixteen now," Harry voiced in a vague fashion.  "You know what that means right?"

"That you are old enough to play the National Lottery?" Caroline asked with the hint of a smile.  "Not that I would recommend it of course."

Harry chuckled appreciatively, but shook his head, slightly shy at the prospect of having to elaborate.

"Isn't sixteen usually when you... well... present as an omega?  You know?  If you are going to be one... then this is the year it happens right?"

So that was why he was so shy.  This was actually a serious conversation.  One which Caroline felt quite privileged to be a part of, although she did silently question why he had chosen her instead of one of the lads or his brother.  More importantly, why hadn't he approached Louis?

"I thought you wanted to be an omega?" Caroline asked with a gentle smile.  "Are you worried about being one?  It's not a bad thing sweet.  Being an omega is a wonderful gift, and you would be perfect."

"Well... I was wondering... what if I'm not?" Harry asked, more nervous than before.  "What if I just wait and wait, and nothing happens?  What if I'm a beta...?"

Harry's curls were always getting in his eyes, Caroline noted as she brushed them off his face with the tips of her fingers.

"If you turn out to be a beta, you will be a very happy one," she told him supportively.  "But to be honest with you I don't think that's going to happen."

Caroline paused.  Harry had seen one of his hamsters venturing out of its little house and had crept closer to the cage, easing his hand through the entrance.  The small furry animal sniffed, frozen as its beady eyes weighed up how much danger he was in.  Then, with caution, it took one hesitant step forward, nose sniffing, whiskers twitching.

"Yay!" Harry cheered under his breath as the bravest hamster of the pair placed his little paws on the pads of his fingers and walked into the palm of his hand.  "Aww, do you like me little one?  Do I smell nice?"  

Very gently and with the utmost care, Harry withdrew his hand, bringing his new friend with him, and gently stroked him between his ears.

"Look at you."

Caroline couldn't hide her smile as she watched Harry offer his pet a little treat.

"What?" Harry breathed.  He didn't even look at Caroline, too absorbed in the tiny defenceless creature that from now on would rely on him for everything.  From providing it a warm comfortable nest for it to sleep in, a variety of good food for nourishment and giving it lots of affection.

"You're so maternal," Caroline told him fondly.  "You're a natural omega Harry, and one day, that little hamster you're holding is going to be a baby in your arms."

Harry looked up at his friend.  It was such a sweet comment to say, and Caroline would never lie to him.

"Trust me sweet," Caroline said as she spoke from her heart.  "It's going to happen for you.  I can imagine that you and Louis will be very happy together."

"Why would you say that?" Harry asked.  His cheeks blushed a deep red.

"Because you are perfect for each other," Caroline shrugged as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.  "I really think that if anyone can tame him, it's you Harry.  When you present as an omega, Lou's going to fall so hard for you.  Maybe you'll fall for him too."

Harry concentrated on feeding his hamster another treat.  He couldn't bring himself to say a word.  He didn't want to jinx anything by admitting to Caroline that he already had.

 

"Ok, I've changed their bedding," Harry patiently told Anne as he stood nervously next to his hamsters' cage.  "They usually sleep a lot during the day, so they'll be fine whilst you're out.  But I like to let them run around in their exercise balls for at least half an hour in the morning, and at least an hour at night."

Anne hid her smile behind her hand as she listened to her son instruct her on how to take care of his pets.  He was such a little mother hen!

"They need a wide variety of food," Harry said and handed his mum a piece of paper full of his tiny writing.  "Usually I give them a bit of chicken in the morning so they get their protein, but I also leave them a little side salad."  He broke off to check the list.  "I've just given them some dandelion leaves, grass and broccoli.  So, if you could avoid those for the next couple of days and give them something like celery, carrots and cucumber tomorrow, maybe some peas, sweetcorn and apple on Sunday.  Oh and I keep a selection of nuts and seeds in little pots on my desk," Harry added as a final thought.  "they like those as treats."

"You do realise that Hughie and Larry are the most spoilt hamsters in the world, don't you?" Anne laughed as she ruffled her youngest's hair.

"They're not spoilt, they're well looked after!" Harry exclaimed, then kissed Hughie's little nose.  He was so adorable!  "I'm really going to miss them," he remarked a little sombrely.  "But I know you'll look after them really well," he affirmed confidently.

"Need I remind you that you turned out fine under my care," Anne told him pointedly.  "As did Liam."

Harry grinned sheepishly.  He just loved his little boys so much, and as silly as it was, he really was going to miss them.

"Mum?  If I FaceTime you tonight, would you let me see them?" Harry asked shyly.  "I don't want them to think I've abandoned them."

"Baby, I will do whatever it takes for you to pick up your bag and get in the car," Anne told him as she hurriedly checked her watch.  "If you are not on the correct train, Louis is going to worry like anything.  I don't want that on my shoulders!"

It was finally Friday 12th February and therefore, finally the time for Harry to meet up with Louis in the middle of London for his specially planned touristy weekend.  It was going to be so much fun!  For the past week Harry and Louis had spoken on the phone daily, planning what they were going to do and see.  It was going to be difficult to fit in everything on their list, but they were going to give it their best shot.

"We're going to be proper tourists babe," Louis had faithfully promised him.  "It'll be just you and me.  No security or anything. We can even travel everywhere on the underground if you want."

Harry just knew everything was going to be so special.  There was also the small matter of St. Valentine's Day on Sunday, and Harry would have been lying if he had said it hadn't been at the forefront of his mind since he had first heard about their special weekend.  He might have also packed a special present for Louis... just in case.

Anne drove Harry to the train station and saw him off with a hug and a kiss.  It was hard to believe that her little baby was growing up so fast!

"Stick to Louis' side the whole time," she made Harry promise.  But of course, she knew he would.

Just beyond the ticket barrier at Paddington Station, Louis stood waiting.  It really was amazing how he could get spotted in the most obscure places, yet stand him in the middle of a busy waiting area and no one batted an eyelid!  He wasn't even wearing a hat or sunglasses to obscure his identity.

After sharing the most bone crushing hug in greeting, Louis shouldered Harry's duffle bag and led him into the nearest Starbucks to celebrate their reunion, and the start of their weekend, with large white chocolate mochas.

"We've got to get the tube to Channing's Cross," Louis explained to a very excited Harry as they walked back through the waiting area.  "That's the closest to our hotel.  It's also right on the doorstep of Trafalgar Square."

Harry nodded enthusiastically.  He wanted to see everything!  Especially all the places that he'd seen on television programs like _Sherlock_  where a good deal of the programme was shot on location in the city of London.

Harry looked around for a ticket machine, but Louis shook his head and grinned at him and handed him a piece of plastic that looked like a debit card.

"Already got you an Oyster card," he explained as he casually reached for Harry's hand.  "You just wave it in front of the barrier.  Just copy me."

Harry walked close beside Louis as they made their way to the station underground.  London moved at a much faster pace than back at home and he was actually worried that he would get swept away in another direction if he didn't keep hold of the older lad's hand!

"It's a maze down here!" Harry murmured to himself as they walked deeper underground to catch the train.  The passage stretched out such a long way in front of him and it felt as though they had been walking for ages.

Louis shook his head with amusement.  He was so used to the city by now that there were aspects of it that he barely noticed now.  It would be fun to see everything through Harry's younger and unknowing eyes.

The carriage was so tightly packed that Louis and Harry barely got through the door before it slid shut.  

Eyeing the mass of tightly packed bodies in the little compartment, Louis braced himself against the nearest vertical surface, Harry's bag stuffed between his feet, one hand gripped the hand support above the door.

"Lean back on me love," he coaxed Harry as he slipped his arm around his boy's waist, pulling him snugly against his chest. "It's gonna be fast!"

Harry had wondered if anyone would recognise Louis whilst being in such a public place.  Ironically, they had never been together and surrounded by so many people, yet it felt like they were completely on their own.  

No one talked to each other on the London Underground, nobody looked at each other.  They read the paper or a book, they listened to music, they watched out of the window for their stop, but they didn't communicate.  Even Louis lapsed into silence for the duration of their journey, clearly he was already used to this way of life.

 

The hotel Harry would be staying at as Louis' guest was _The_ _Savoy_  inCovent Garden.  It was one that Louis had stayed in countless times with the band, and was really pleased that he now got to share the experience with Harry who would really appreciate the finery which often bemused him more than anything.

"Wow!" 

Harry stared around the vast reception area with huge eyes.  This was probably the most impressive, yet intimidating place he had ever been to - and yet he had stayed with the boys at some pretty fancy hotels before.  This one however, was on another level.  Beside him Louis twined their fingers together and squeezed gently in order to lead him to the lift.

"Lou, this place is gorgeous!" Harry hissed to his best friend as they walked past another extravagant flower arrangement.  "I can't believe you stay here!"

"Wait until you see the room then!" Louis promised him.  "It's just your thing.  I know how much you appreciate a good view!"

Just as Harry knew it would be, Louis' suite was not only luxurious, but also very cosy. The pile of the carpet was thick, the furniture was elegant, the decor was modern yet classic.

"Check out this view!"  Harry exclaimed as he rushed to the bedroom window that was so large, it almost took up the entire wall.  

Hands in pockets Louis deposited Harry's bag next to his own, then joined the lad at the window.

"Pretty good huh?" he asked needlessly.  Harry's face was a picture of delight as he drank in the River Thames, the London Eye and Big Ben.

Harry nodded excitedly, then retrieved his new camera from his bag and started snapping pictures of the sight in front of him, then began to take pictures of their bedroom.

"Don't forget the bathroom," Louis joked as he watched his boy take pictures of the living room from all angles.

"That is not a bath!" Harry exclaimed from where he had already began to document the final room of the suite.  He popped his head back around the door.  "That is a small pool!"

The idea came straight to Louis' mind.

"Why don't you hop in and have a little swim?" he suggested, his eyes crinkling as Harry eyed the spacious spa bath that was sunken into the floor by the window.  "It's getting dark outside.  You can see all the lights on the river, the Eye's illuminations will be lit up." 

Instinctively Louis smoothed back Harry's curls.  He didn't know why he was always so compelled to play with them, but he couldn't be around Harry for too long before his fingers were twitching to touch them.

"They have some really nice bubble bath," Louis continued.  "We could order room service, get in the towelling robes and chill out in front of a film?"

Harry nodded eagerly.  That did sound awfully good.  He did enjoy a nice bath, and this would be the most luxurious he'd ever had.

"Ok," Louis gave Harry's bottom a little tap.  "You go check out the menu and I'll get this set up for you." 

Harry nodded agreeably, slapped his best friend's hand in a high five and scampered into the bedroom where he was certain he would find the menu next to Louis' bed, as always he was correct.

Perched on the side of the bed, Harry poured over the extensive menu, undecided on what to choose.  Finally he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Hey Ni!" he exclaimed as soon as he heard the Irish's lad's voice.  "I'm finally here!  Yeah, the journey was fine.  Lou met me at the station and we got the tube to the hotel - how amazing are the suites?"

"Wait until you try the food!" Niall retorted immediately.

"That's why I called," Harry laughed sheepishly.  "What's good from room service?  Louis told me to choose something but I can't decide."

"How hungry are you?" Niall asked as he conjured up an image of the menu in his mind.

"Peckish," Harry replied after a quick consideration.  

"Have the Caesar Salad then," Niall suggested.  "I tried it the other day, tastes really good if you add bacon to it."

"Great!  Thanks Ni!" Harry grinned as he found it on the menu.  "I'll give it a go!"

The two said goodbye just as Louis came trotting into the bedroom.

"Did you just call Niall to ask him what to eat?" he asked, not bothering to ask permission when he rummaged in Harry's overnight bag.  He pulled out a book.  "When you put the call in, order me a club sandwich and tea would you babe?"

Harry nodded, reaching for the room's internal phone.  He loved ordering room service.

"All done," Harry announced, bounding into the bathroom. "Oh!" he breathed out as he took in the sight in front of him.

Louis was sitting next to the bath which he had filled with warm water and scented bubbles.  Around the edges he had lit a few candles that he might have picked up especially for Harry at the gift shop the previous morning.  He knew his lad liked a fragrant candle burning whilst he was relaxing.

Harry moved closer.  Not only had Louis already set up a large fluffy towel for him to use when he got up, as well as a robe, but he had arranged Harry's current book and a bottle of water from the mini bar at the edge.  It looked incredible.

"I didn't know if you wanted company or not?" Louis told him awkwardly.  "If you just want a little Harry time, you can call me in to do your hair."

Harry shook his head as though the idea was crazy.  He did want Louis to wash his hair, but he'd had enough 'Harry' time.  He wanted to splash about in the bath and arrange the bubbles on Louis' face so that it looked like he had a massive beard, then take a photo of it and post it on Twitter!  That was what he wanted.  Louis didn't even question it.

 

"So, how's your week been?" Harry asked with the smallest of appreciative groans.  He was sitting between Louis' legs for the older alpha to wash his hair.  Louis had always known how to give a good head massage whilst he was working up a lather with the shampoo.

"Not bad," Louis replied thoughtfully.  "They're keeping us occupied.  Lots of interviews in preparation for the next single.  Can you believe we are _still_ denying that we're splitting up?  I would have thought they'd have moved onto something else by now!"

"I'm sorry," Harry murmured as he allowed himself to be manoeuvred towards the tap for the suds to be washed out.  "All that is completely my fault."

"You would have done exactly the same for me," Louis pointed out, testing the temperature of the running water before he let it anywhere near Harry's delicate skin.  "Don't pretend you wouldn't either!  I know you too well!"

"I'd do anything for you," Harry spoke from his heart, and gazed innocently up into Louis' face, who gave him a small smile as he moved to cradle the younger lad's head in the crook of his elbow in order to rinse his curls.  He was always so careful, making sure the minimum of water splashed in Harry's face.  He wondered if Harry realised how much Louis believed what he had just said.  Because the feeling was mutual.  He would do anything and everything for Harry, one day he'd be able to admit exactly how much that was.

Harry thoroughly enjoyed his first night in London.  After their bath he dressed in his fluffy white robe, called his mum to show her their suite, watched Hughie and Larry run around in their exercise balls and chatted excitedly about his and Louis' plans for the next day.  Louis blow dried his hair whilst they watched a film in the living room, then they tucked down together in their huge king sized bed, cuddled so close together in the middle that they might as well have been sleeping in a single.

For the first night in a week, both Harry and Louis drifted off into a deep, restful sleep.  Both of them slept better when they were together.  They always had done.

 

"You _should_ have been there!" Harry laughed long and hard to himself as Liam, Niall and Zayn all gave him curious glances.  None of them were in on the joke yet.

"Alright, it wasn't _that_ funny!" Louis scoffed, only looking a little embarrassed.

It was Saturday night, and after a long day of sightseeing Harry and Louis had decided to hang out with the lads in Liam's suite.  Harry really wanted to show his brother all the photos he'd taken on his brand new camera.

So far they had seen the views from the London Eye, close ups of the friendly grey squirrels in the park, Louis pretending to be a guard in front of Buckingham Palace and Harry straddling a large stone lion underneath Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square.  Soon enough they would get onto stories related to the Tate Modern Gallery and Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.  But for now, Harry was all about what had happened to Louis at the London Dungeon.

"So, we had taken almost half the tour," Harry was saying from his spot on the floor, cross legged and empathic with his hands.  It was common knowledge that the more excited he became, the more he talked with hands as well as his mouth.  "Which was amazing by the way, really funny, really creepy, blah blah blah!"

"Selling it really well babe!" Louis commented dryly from behind him.  "They should use that in their adverts!"

"Shhh!" Harry complained, swatting his leg with his palm.  "I'm just getting to the good bit!"

Breaking into a shit eating grin, Louis grabbed playfully at Harry's cheeks and made cooing noises.  He was so cute when he was pretending to be mad!

Harry scrunched up his nose and stuck his tongue out at his best friend before turning back to the boys to continue, hopefully without further interruption.

"So, the actor was in the middle of a thing," Harry told them.  "Something to do with the Guy Fawkes, or something... I don't know, I wasn't really paying attention..."

"Doesn't it make you want to go there immediately?" Louis piped up again.  Harry glared at him.

"I can't wait to hear the end of this story," Zayn commented with a sly smile.  Harry was always so easy to tease and wind up when he was trying to tell them a story, and he fell for their efforts every time!

"So, er, where did I get to?  Oh yeah.  Well Louis can't see properly because we were kinda near the back.  So he tries to move forward just as a girl stepped backwards.  He trod on the back of her foot, and the girl..."

Harry covered his mouth with his hand, unable to hold in another snort of laughter.

"The girl turns to glare at Louis, only she recognised him, and she screams as though she's being stabbed!  But the thing is, Lou was so shocked that he yells out because she just screamed in his face unexpectedly, which made another girl jump out of her skin and swear really loudly!  Suddenly everyone was screaming and shouting for no reason!  The poor actor at the front just stopped because no one was paying any attention to him!  Louis pretty much got walked into a corner because loads of them started to crowd him, and all of a sudden he disappears through a secret door because one of the other actors just lifted him off his feet and dragged him out!  I could hear him swearing through the wall!"

Harry slumped backwards between Louis' raised legs and against the elder alpha's chest, weak with laughter.  It was contagious.  Liam, Niall and Zayn all found them caught up in it, especially when Louis rolled his eyes in their direction and nuzzled into Harry's neck pretending to bite him.

"Gonna tell them what happened next babe?" he asked with a growl from the base of his throat.  "Gonna tell them how you pretended not to be with me when I got someone to fetch you because I _wasn't_ _allowed_ _back in for being too disruptive!_ I was stuck with some guy for half an hour who wouldn't stop pestering me about tweeting what a great time I'd had there - even though I only saw half of it!"

"I wanted to finish the _tour_!" Harry's words ended with a yelp as Louis began to tickle his sides relentlessly.  "It's not my fault you're _disruptive_!"

Baring his teeth in a fake snarl, Louis grabbed Harry around the middle and flipped him onto his back, intent on tickling the boy until he squealed out for mercy.  

The other lads switched their attention to each other, ignoring the laughing, the faux growls and the grunts from the floor.  Those two were lost to each other now.

"So, what are your plans for tomorrow?" Liam asked Niall and Zayn.  He stretched his legs out on the large settee and took a gulp of his beer.

"Valentine's?" Niall asked.  "Nothing special planned.  Just hanging with Josh for an X Box sesh with some of his girl friends.  Zayn's coming too."

Zayn tore his eyes away from the television to nod.

"So I'm the only one with a date?" Liam asked in amazement.  "I thought we were all doing something special?"

"I've got a date!" Louis panted from the floor.  He had pretended to let Harry overpower him, and now he was flat on his back, stuck between his best friend's thighs, twisting back and forth to prevent his face being tapped.  Unfortunately, Harry had picked up some of his tricks - the lad was quick!  Louis was kinda proud, after all he had taught him!

"What?" Harry demanded.  "Since when have you got a date?  I thought we were spending the day together!"

Liam quirked an eyebrow.  His little brother actually sounded close to tears.  Even Niall and Zayn had stopped bickering to listen in.

"Who are you going on a date with?" Niall asked incredulously, then frowned disapprovingly.  "Don't you dare say Eleanor!"

Harry's face visibly paled. His arms fell slack at his sides.

"You're... you're ditching me?" he asked pathetically, a tremor to his lower lip.

"Eh?" Louis asked confused.  "I have a date with you Harold!"  He pouted his lower lip.  "Don't tell me you've forgotten!" He watched as Harry's face inexplicably brightened.

"We're going on a date?" he asked hopefully.  "Like an actual date?"  Harry was more than a little lightheaded now.  He actually thought he was going to explode into a fountain of glitter and sparkles.  Was this happening?  Was this actually happening?  Louis was asking him on a Valentine's date!  In front of everyone!  He was so excited!

"Well, I hope you wouldn't abandon me again!" Louis smirked and pulled the star-struck boy to his chest.  "You don't have to be in a relationship with someone to have a date on Valentine's Day, just someone you love."

Harry glared into Louis' t-shirt.  Now he really did want to slap Louis for real.  Had he any idea how much he'd just gotten Harry's hopes up?  Once again he was disappointed.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't dates supposed to be romantic?" Liam asked sceptically.  "You two are just hanging out like you always do."

"Nothing wrong with a bit of role play between friends," Louis dismissed with a wave of his hand.  "How about it babe?  Wanna pretend to be my boyfriend for a day?  Let me treat you like a prince?" he dropped a swift kiss upon his boy's head.  All he could do was pretend, and it was going to kill him deep down, but how else could he get himself into a dating situation with his precious one without fully revealing all his emotions.  

"It's not like I have any other plans," Harry shrugged.  His words were muffled.  He was trying to hide his face.  Harry had no idea what to feel.  Pretending could be emotionally damaging to him... but he really wanted to experience what it was like to be Louis' boyfriend... even if it was pretend... even if it was for one day... even if that was all he ever got... at least he would know...

"Is that a yes then?" Louis wheedled, nudging him with his chin.

Shakily, Harry raised his hand, reaching upwards for a high five.  It was something he couldn't say no to.  He just wanted to know what it would be like...

 

"Happy Valentine's Day love."

Harry's eyes cracked open to see Louis' smiling face inches away from his own.  He smiled shyly, wondering if Louis had remembered that they were pretending to be boyfriends for the day.  Should he mention it?  Or would he sound stupid and pathetic?  After all, he could have been joking...

"Got you breakfast in bed," Louis smiled at him gently.  Harry had to be half asleep still, because he could swear there was actual love in his eyes.  "I got you forest fruits, natural unsweetened yoghurt and granola."  He looked so proud of himself.

"My favourite," Harry beamed and moved to sit up.

"Anything for my _boyfriend_ ," Louis beamed.  "Today you get exactly what you deserve.  I'm going to spoil you like anything."

"I don't need to be spoiled," Harry protested.  But he let Louis settle the tray upon his lap.  "It's just a stupid game Lou."

"Aww!  You're not playing!" Louis pouted.  He looked so much younger than he was when he pulled that face.  "Come on Harry!  Let me spoil you a little bit!  I promise, you will love every second of it!  I've been up since the crack of dawn arranging stuff!  Please just humour me?  I'm single on Valentine's Day.  Let's be each other's Valentine?"

Harry took a bite of raspberry and yoghurt.  He _did_ want to pretend to be Louis' boyfriend... as stupid as it sounded.  Question was, would he regret this later?  He tried to sound begrudging as he accepted.  He didn't want Louis to think this was a big deal to him or anything.

 

As soon as Harry had finished his breakfast, had a long luxurious shower and dressed in his favourite jeans, t-shirt and hoodie, Louis took him by the hand, refused to say where they were going and led him towards their first destination.

The _Lush_   _Spa_.

"Have to get you relaxed and ready for our date tonight," Louis told him seriously.  "So whilst I am sorting everything out, you can have a nice massage.  Don't rush yourself, ok babe?" He smiled at him and kissed the tip of his nose.  In public too!  "Apparently they're going to smother you in chocolate and roses!"

"This is really nice of you," Harry murmured.  He really did feel shy about accepting this from Louis.  It was something he knew he would love, something that Louis would have known that he'd love.  He really was the most thoughtful man in the world - regardless of this game or not.

"Just enjoy it," Louis grinned and led him to the reception desk.  "Appointment for Harry Tomlinson," he told the girl with a wink in Harry's direction.  " _The_ _Comforter_.  Yeah, I'll pay now."

Louis tapped in his PIN quickly.

"I'll see you in a couple of hours," he assured Harry before the lady could spirit him away into the treatment room.  "Love you babe."

"Love you too," Harry replied.  All he could hear echoing in his mind was Louis' voice on a loop saying _Harry_ _Tomlinson_! 

The spa environment must be really relaxing, Louis thought to himself as he plotted where to go next.  Harry had pretty much developed heart eyes when they had hugged goodbye.

Harry hadn't been the only one.  Louis knew he had been blatantly fonding over his boy ever since he had uttered Harry Tomlinson!  He'd only come up with it as a silly joke to go along with their 'boyfriend' game.  But saying it aloud, in front of Harry, it just tugged at his heart strings in all the right places.  When they had hugged goodbye, Louis had to fight his instincts, finding himself get caught up in the moment and struggling to not actually kiss the boy!  What on earth was he doing to himself?

 

Harry looked like a whole new person when he floated out of the treatment room and drifted straight into Louis' arms.  Dreamy, pliant and completely content.

"Fuck!  You smell so good!" Louis exclaimed, pulling his baby even closer to him in order to take a deeper sniff of his skin.  He smelt absolutely delicious, to the extent where it wasn't just his nose that was paying attention!  

"Can we buy some of that?" Louis called out to the nearest girl.  "Whatever you've put on him in the biggest size you've got."

"Nooo," Harry shook his head.  "The massage is enough.  Don't be silly Lou."

It was too late for Harry's protests.  Louis had already been handed a large paper bag and he was already paying.

"You're so soppy," Harry smiled lazily.  He was still feeling quite out of it from how good his massage had been.  He could barely remember his own name.  He wanted to lie down with Louis somewhere soft and have Louis sniff him more.  Harry loved the feel of Louis' breath upon his skin, it felt like he was breathing life into him just by exhaling.

"What can I say, I love this smell on you," Louis shrugged.  "Come on babe, gotta get moving."

Harry was dragging his feet and looked quite bleary eyed.  This was a good thing from Louis' point of view.  It meant that he might not be asked what he was up to whilst Harry was at the spa.  He didn't want to reveal that until later.

 

It was funny to think that although they were playing "boyfriends" for the day, nothing really changed.  Louis still called Harry 'babe' and 'love'.  They still held hands as they walked along the street.  They still put their arms around each other's waist as they queued for Starbucks.  Neither boy wanted to admit to themselves how on a mental level, they were boyfriends already, let alone to each other. Harry and Louis had always been so attuned to each other's thoughts and emotions, but when it came to bringing their feelings into the open, both of them were completely blind.

 

The plan was to go for dinner in Gordon Ramsey's restaurant.  Harry had been desperate to eat there ever since he had become addicted to his television shows, and Louis had to admit he was pretty curious himself.

Dressed up in his smartest clothes, Harry played with his hair in the mirror.  He wanted to look his absolute best.  He wanted Louis to be proud to be seen at his side.  He wanted to feel as though he deserved to be seated in such a fancy restaurant.

"Wow," Louis breathed as he laid eyes upon Harry for the first time.  "You look incredible!" for a second it looked as though his jaw was going to drop, but before Harry could properly register the emotion, Louis had shaken his head.  "How did I manage to convince someone like you to date someone like me!"

Harry smiled, all blushing and bashful.  He felt like the most beautiful man in the world, and all because if he let himself imagine it, Louis was looking at him as though he was responsible for hanging the moon!

Harry knew that if he kept this thought process up, that it was most certainly going to hurt later.

"Come sit with me a sec?" Louis asked.  He suddenly sounded quite serious.  Frowning and thinking the worst, Harry sat beside him on the bed.

"So, I got you something," Louis smiled awkwardly and shuffled closer to Harry.  For some reason he was sitting too far away.  "It's nothing major, but Valentine's Day should be celebrated with people you love... and you're my best friend... and I wanted you to know how much I think of you.  I know you missed me when I was away in Oz.  I missed you too.  So..."

Louis' face cracked into a wide smile, his eyes far away as though he was remembering a special memory.

"I was looking through the pictures on my laptop the other day, and I found the ones from that day we spent in the park about... must have been seven years ago!" he paused and rolled up his sleeve.  The one with his 'Oops' and stick figure skateboarder tattoos.  "So, I got this whilst you were at the spa this morning."

Harry watched curiously.  There was a patch of gauze covering a portion of his arm, just to the side of his inked sketches.  Louis had got another tattoo.  What was it this time?

With careful fingers, Louis uncovered his new addition, holding his arm out for Harry to inspect.

It was a paper aeroplane in flight.  Just like the ones that the two of them had made and played with in the park all those years ago.

"So, I have this," Louis continued as he indicated to his new ink, then stuffed his hand into his pocket and withdrew it in a tight fist, "and I got you this.  I hope you like it.  It's not much, I wasn't even looking for it.  I just saw it after I had gotten my tattoo, and... well... you're not old enough for a tattoo... so this was the next best thing."

He opened his hand.  Harry beamed, instantly loving what was dangling between his fingers.

It was a thin silver chain with a paper aeroplane hanging from it.  Exactly like Louis' tattoo.

"When we're not together," Louis confessed, "I'm always thinking about you.  How you are, what you're doing.  I think about the things we've done together.  I think of the things that we might do in the future.  I look at our pictures and cuddle Frog Face when I can't sleep.  I watch all your silly little Twitter videos when I need cheering up." 

Harry bent his head forward and let Louis arrange the chain around his neck.

"So, if you want to wear this, every time you feel it against your chest, every time you catch sight of it in the mirror, I want you to remember that as you do that, somewhere in the world I'm thinking of you, counting the days until I see you, counting the minutes until I can talk to you."

Louis rubbed his face self-consciously and patted Harry's knee.  The younger boy clearly didn't know what to say, but the fact that his smile was a little watery showed it had obviously had the desired effect.  The trouble was, Louis was now stuck for words.

"Ready for dinner?" he asked finally.  Why had he got serious so soon?  He was just messing all of this up.  The one thing that he couldn't risk losing his head over.

 

"Here, try a bite of this," Louis moaned with appreciation after taking the first bite of his steak.  "This is so good Haz, open up!"

Harry swallowed his bite of chicken, which was so moist and juicy, even without the delicate sauce that was drizzled over the top.  As he was concerned, Gordon Ramsey deserved the reputation that came with his restaurants, this was one of the best meals that he'd ever had.

He eyed the forkful that Louis was offering him across the table and leant forward to accept it.  Once again, Louis felt his heart being tugged at.  Harry had always had a habit of sticking his tongue out before he ate, and right now it was no exception.  Was there anything about him that wasn't adorable?  

Louis watched as Harry's mouth closed around the small cube of steak, almost sucking it into his mouth, eyes closing as he savoured the flavour.  Still adorable, and a little bit seductive... Louis could almost slap himself to stop himself from staring at Harry's mouth... but he couldn't tear his eyes away.

"You know, we really could be mistaken for a proper couple," Harry suddenly stuttered out as they were waiting for their desert.  Louis couldn't resist ordering the chocolate fondue for the two of them to share.  Maybe he wanted the excuse to feed Harry a few more bites, but that was between him and the talkative devil on his shoulder.

"Well duh," Louis rolled his eyes.  "Not only do we finish each other's sentences frequently, but we also eat off each other's forks, and..." he broke off, pretending to look under the table with a smirk.  "You have had your feet in my lap for a good half hour!  Thanks for removing your shoes by the way!"

Harry giggled.  It wasn't entirely his idea.  All he had done was mention that his feet were a little sore from all the walking, and Louis had offered to give him a foot massage there and then, saying that _any good boyfriend would do the same!_

"I wonder if anyone else is playing the same game as we are," Harry continued to muse as his eyes wandered over the nearby couples.  "What about them?" he whispered, leaning towards Louis who automatically inclined his head.  "The girl and boy by the window?"

Louis glanced over to where Harry was looking and frowned slightly.  The couple weren't faking their attraction to one another, but one of them was faking something...

"That is never going to last," he commented with distaste.  "He's an alpha and she isn't determined yet.  Gonna end in tears that."

Harry frowned so deep that a crease formed between his eyebrows.

"Why would you say that?" he asked with curiosity, and for some strange reason a little bit defensively.  "You barely looked at them."

"I know what to look for," Louis retorted vaguely.  "But it doesn't take a genius to recognise that it's going to end in tears... if she doesn't present as an omega of course... but I can't see that happening."

"What if he loves her regardless?" Harry asked a little stiffly.

"Love doesn't completely make a baby Haz.  Believe me, I'm an alpha, I wouldn't go near anyone in that way without them fully presenting first.  I'd want to know that all my desires would be satisfied."

Harry huffed and withdrew his feet from Louis' lap.  Suddenly he was feeling very self-conscious.

"Why does it always have to come back to sex?" Harry muttered crossly.  "What about being in love, being compatible with each other.  People can adopt these days, and there's always the surrogacy option!"

"What's getting you so hot and bothered?" Louis asked in amazement as Harry closed himself off, sinking low in his chair and starting to play with his fork.  "Babe, all I'm saying is that when you're thinking of starting a relationship, everyone needs to know where everyone stands.  That girl is gonna be a barren beta, the alpha will most probably want a kid, with his mate.  She won't be able to provide him with that, and will most likely be heartbroken!"

"And what about _her_?" Harry asked quietly.  "What's going to happen if he breaks up with her because of that.  She's going to be heartbroken, and it won't even be her fault.  Even if they were the most compatible couple in other ways." 

"Harry?" Louis reached for the younger lad's hand, but he snatched it away and hid it under the table.  "What's wrong baby?  Why is this upsetting you?"

"Because I've been watching them," Harry confessed, but with something else on his mind.  "They finish each other's sentences, they eat off each other's plates and they talk and laugh and share as though they really love each other..."  In one sudden movement he stood up from the table and moved swiftly towards the exit.  He couldn't stay and look at Louis any longer.  Not whilst he was saying that until he presented, Louis would want nothing to do with Harry... even if they were perfect for each other!  It wasn't Louis' fault.  Louis didn't know how he felt about him.  

Blinded by his tears, he didn't even realise that he had left his shoes under the table, where Louis was desperately trying to flag down a waiter to pay the bill.  The trouble was, Harry had nowhere to go, so with a heavy heart, he made his way to Louis' hotel suite and sat miserably outside the door where he would no doubt be found almost immediately.

Knees pulled up to his chest, arms hugging his shins, Harry hung his head.  Inside his mind was a mess.  He had finally plucked up the courage, he was finally going to talk to Louis about how he felt.  Lay all his cards out on the table.  Talk to him about his hopes for the future, ask if Louis would be interested in seeing how things went between them, because he had been certain that they were meant to be together.

Only Louis clearly wasn't going to be interested in that.  Something which his notorious reputation should have already told Harry.

There was no way he was going to say anything now.

 

"Hey."

Fingers carded through Harry's hair, and he could sense Louis crouch down in front of him.

"Let's get you inside baby."

Harry let Louis help him to his feet, but he couldn't look his best friend in the eye.  Not yet.  It was too soon.  Without speaking, Harry went straight into the bedroom, pulling off his dress clothes and chucking them on top of his bag.  He just wanted to get into bed and go to sleep.  Forget this stupid day and his stupid dreams had ever happened.

Curled up under the thick duvet, Harry listened to Louis quietly potter around before coming to sit next to him.

"Can we talk about what happened back there?" Louis asked softly.  There was pressure applied to where Harry's shoulder was, no doubt Louis had put his hand there as a comforting gesture.

"I haven't presented yet!" Harry told him with a choked sob.  "I don't want that to happen to me!  What if I fall in love with someone and I turn out to be a beta?  I don't care what they are or what I am!  I just want someone to love me for me!  Not for what my body can biologically do!"

"I'm sorry," Louis could seriously kick himself.  When he had spoken about the couple that Harry had pointed out, he had been purely generalising.  How stupid must he be to have not guessed in advance that Harry would relate whatever he had said to his own situation?  Why could he never remember the basics?  Prevention was always better than cure, and he now had some major damage control to sort out.

"Harry, that is never going to happen to you," Louis soothed the best that he could without trying to coddle the boy.

"Why not?  You just said so!" Harry sobbed, the lump in the duvet quivering.

"Because the person you fall in love with would never treat you like a biological baby machine," Louis explained desperately, trying to tell Harry his own feelings without exposing himself.  This was the wrong time for that big a revelation.  After what had just happened, it wouldn't sound real to the poor boy, he would think he was being humoured out of his bad mood.

Two green eyes appeared over the edge of the bedding, swimming with salty tears, but wide and watchful.

"Harry, the person you fall in love with is going to be an extension of you in every possible way," Louis told him patiently.  "They will love you so hard with every fibre, think of you within every thought, tattoo their love for you upon their skin for the whole fucking world to see, and travel far and wide just to see you smile!  I know you Harry!  Deep in your huge, accepting heart, you wouldn't accept anything less, because you wouldn't give anything less!"

Louis couldn't help himself.  The words were spitting out of his mouth, fierce and determined.  There was nothing he was more passionate about than Harry's future.

"The person you fall in love with won't give a shit what you turn out to be!  Because _I_ will want you for every minuscule and stupid little thing that makes you Harry!  That's all!  Just you!"

 

It was Louis who broke down, clawing at his hair with his hands because he couldn't allow himself to say what he desperately wanted to.  Harry was too young to be put under such pressure.  Harry needed time and space to present in his own time and realise what - and who - he really wanted.  He cried for all the things he couldn't say, all the things he had said that he wished Harry would properly understand.

It was a fine example of role reversal.  Quietly and carefully, Harry pushed back the duvet, pulling Louis into the snug little cocoon alongside him. Harry held Louis to his chest, stroking his back in comfort and kissing his forehead in the way that Louis sometimes liked.  Sometimes Louis needed to be cuddled and comforted by Harry, when things got too much and overwhelmed him.  

It hardly ever happened.  Harry could only count the amount of times on one hand that Louis had gotten himself so upset that he was rendered speechless.  Louis didn't lose his cool to this extent over just anything, Harry knew this too well.  The first time it had happened the younger boy had panicked.  What was he meant to do?  What was he meant to say?  He was completely clueless.  But then Louis had stumbled towards him, hunched over, his shoulders trembling, arms outstretched.  It was then that Harry remembered.  Louis was just an older version of him.  He may not have all the fears that Harry had, he may be able to take more pressure upon his shoulders, but deep inside there was a part of Louis which was exactly the same as Harry.  And Harry knew how he liked to be comforted and cared for, so he copied every single thing that Louis would do for him, until his best friend's breathing was even, his tears had subsided and he lay quietly and content within Harry's embrace.  It was only when Louis would turn Harry around in his arms, and spoon him from behind that Harry would know he was feeling better.

In the past Harry had never known what the problems had been.  Louis preferred to keep those things to himself.  Harry didn't pry.  He trusted Louis and was certain that if it was anything important, Louis would confide in him.  Until then, Harry would just simply be there for him.

Things may be a bit strained between them now, but when they awoke the following morning, things would still be the same as always.  They both loved each other too deep, were too emotionally involved.

Harry went to sleep dreaming of the day he might present, and wondering if it would ever come.  He wondered if Caroline was right, if Louis would fall for him.

Louis drifted off wishing he knew when to keep his mouth shut.  Fortunately he didn't realise that in the midst of his outburst he'd already blurted out the most important thing... only Harry hadn't heard him, and probably wouldn't have believed it if he had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just going to leave this here, there's something special in the pipeline for chapter ten, so stay tuned!! :) xx


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter ten!  
> Thank you all so, so much for the response after the last chapter! You have all been so kind with your comments, subscriptions and kudos, so I hope this meets your expectations.  
> Thank you for reading xxx

Harry Aged 16

Louis: Aged 20

"What's the time?" Louis asked, eyes glued to the TV screen. His tongue slightly stuck out the corner of his mouth as he concentrated on moving his little computerised football player, dribbling the ball down the field. "Harry should be back by now shouldn't he?"

Liam's own eyes flicked to his wrist watch and back to the screen again, jabbing his fingers on all the right buttons to try and steal the ball.

"You worry an unhealthy amount," he pointed out and frowned as Louis managed a tricky manoeuvre which almost earned him a goal. "He said four and it's only four ten now."

Louis clucked his tongue absentmindedly, then beamed with triumph as he brought the score to 4-1 in his favour. "I'm not worried," he shrugged with a false air of nonchalance.  

Louis shouldn't be worried about Harry, and deep down he really wasn't.  Harry was in great shape at the moment.  It had taken a few months to get to where they were now, but it had been worth it.  

A month ago the younger boy had finally finished his exams, and therefore finished secondary school.  That was enough to celebrate on its own, but the best part was that now Harry was completely free to come wherever Louis went until college started in September.  Needless to say, both Louis and Harry were ecstatic about this arrangement.  The rest of the band were pretty pleased too, having Harry around them was like having a little brother to play with, although for Liam that was literally the case.

One Direction were currently holed up in a rented flat in a coastal town in Devon, somewhere where they could really get their head down and do a bit of uninterrupted writing for their upcoming album and have a little downtime.

It would be the longest period of time that Harry had stayed away from home, and he had jumped into the new living arrangements head first.  There was nothing he liked better than messing around in the kitchen making meals for the boys, trying to help them relax after a hard day working at the studio.

Most of the time he joined them, sitting quietly in a corner, taking pictures for his scrap book, reading a new book, or simply watching the magic happen.  Today however he had announced over breakfast - rather shiftily - that he wanted to take the train into the next town to have a look at their Farmer's Market.  Louis was pleased.  He fully encouraged Harry to enjoy new interests.  Just as long as there was a time frame involved and he wasn't late home.

Liam might be his brother in a biological sense, but Louis felt completely responsible for his safety and wellbeing.

"Your turn," Louis interrupted himself to pay attention to Zayn who looked quite bored with watching them, passed his controller to his mate, then leant back against the cushions. "I'm not worried," he reaffirmed,  "just want Harry on my team. You can have Zayn – he's playing shit today - he has zero ball skills!"

Zayn's mouth quirked into a small lazy smile. He knew he was a better player than Harry any day, even when he wasn't trying – terrible excuse that one.

Beside him Niall rolled his eyes and contented himself with examining the take away menu - they had already told Harry he could have today off kitchen duties, but no one felt like cooking this afternoon.  

Even though it was just gone 4pm it had felt like an extremely long day for all of them.  Their studio session hadn't gone at all well.  Tempers had frayed as they threw lyrics and melodies back and forth, stuck in a stalemate position until Liam had sensibly pointed out that they really couldn't afford to pay for studio time if they weren't going to get anything out of it, and maybe they should call it quits before the pinching and eye poking started!  

Liam addressed the whole band but he was mainly looking at Louis, who was doing his best to look innocent, but just ended up with the face of someone even more mischievous and guilty!

Metaphorical tails tucked between their legs, the lad's packed up their stuff and headed home, fully intent on forgetting everything that had gone wrong for the rest of the day, enjoy each other's company, vent all their frustration out on a FIFA tournament and order an outrageous amount of take out to share.

It was a tried and tested method of relaxation which always came up trumps.  Although - if the promise of Harry hanging out with them hadn't been on the cards, Louis wouldn't have been half as cheerful and optimistic.  

When things didn't turn out the way he expected them to, especially in the creative field, it really hit a number of nerves - the antidote?  Dimples, curls and a doting best friend who never let Louis feel as though he was anything less than perfection for even a fraction of a second.

In short, it wasn't only Louis who was grateful that Harry was going to be with them soon.  Liam, Niall and Zayn were far too tired to deal with a bad tempered and demotivated Louis.

Ten (long) minutes later and all the lads - except Louis - in the room breathed a quiet sigh of relief when they heard a key in the lock of the front door.  Just the sound of Harry's arrival brought the biggest of anticipating smiles to Louis' face.

All eyes went to the living room door, expecting a grinning face to burst through it in a whirl wind of enthusiastic, sunshine inducing energy.  

Instead...

The door was shut so quietly, it could have only been their acute alpha sense of hearing that they heard it at all, followed by the softest of footsteps that crept down the hall, then another door opened and shut.

Louis' smile slipped as he sat up straighter, immediately on edge.  He looked quickly at Liam who wore the same frown as he was, still watching the door as though he still expected to see his little brother bounce in.  

When Harry didn't, Liam reached for the door - something must have happened.  This was not like Harry at all.

But someone else got there quicker, someone with lightening quick reflexes when it came to running to his best friend's aid.

"I'll go," Louis insisted with the quiet understated air of authoritative firmness that Liam had come to expect from his oldest friend.  "If it's anything I can't handle, I'll come and get you."

The statement was clear and concise. As the dominant alpha and the leader of their pack, there was almost nothing that Louis could not handle on his own. Whatever the problem was, Louis wanted to take full responsibility for it - even without any knowledge about what it was.

Maybe it was because Harry and Louis had always been so inexplicably close, and it was a sign of how deep rooted their bond actually was, but from the second Louis had stepped out into the hallway, he knew exactly why Harry had snuck in unannounced and gone to hide in a bedroom.

There was a hint of something in the air.  As though someone had just walked past with a bouquet of flowers, leaving no trace except a vague waft of their fragrance in their wake. But instead of floral and sweet like roses, the scent teasing at Louis' nostrils was fresh, earthy, and just enough to entice his senses, reminding him of exactly how long he had been waiting and preparing for what was happening at this very moment.

Harry was experiencing his first heat.

Approaching the bedroom Louis was sure Harry had gone into, he quietly tapped on the door to announce his presence before calmly walking in and shutting it behind him.  

Harry was sitting on his designated bed, frowning at his phone before he realised he had company.  His face jerked upwards with an anxious expression that matched the powerful stench of discomfort that was radiating from his body.  

But then his eyes focused, recognising Louis for the first time and he visibly relaxed.  From the slight slump to his shoulders to the lines on his forehead evaporating.  Even Harry's skin instantly stopped producing the scalding smell Louis was unhappy to have to breathe in, replacing it with a calm cool element that strongly reminded Louis of a refreshing breeze on a summer's day.  Sixteen years later, just Louis' presence still managed to have a soothing effect on Harry.

"I feel weird," Harry blurted out before Louis had the chance to speak, "like I'm coming down with the flu or something."  He got up, stumbling in his haste to get to Louis. "Does my forehead feel hot to you?  Please don't make me go home!  I don't want to get any of you sick too, but I've been waiting for so long to be here with you all, and I..."

"Sweetheart, you're not poorly," Louis assured him.  He wrapped one arm fully around Harry's waist, walked him back to the bed and urged him to sit down. "In fact, you couldn't be more healthy!" He tapped his nose knowingly.  "I think it's fantastic news love!"

Louis couldn't help it. He couldn't keep his smile in any longer. This was hands down one of the best days in his whole existence so far - even better than the day he had presented as an alpha!  Because now it was confirmed!  Harry was an omega!  If Harry hadn't have been in heat, Louis would have insisted that they had a party to celebrate!

Harry looked shifty, almost as though he knew exactly what was going on, but he wanted to gauge Louis' reaction first.  After all, acceptance and approval from his best friend was paramount.  It wasn't as though he needed Louis' approval to feel good, but he did enjoy the feeling of preening under the older lad's praise.

"I did wonder," he admitted quietly.  "I've felt different since I woke up this morning.  And you'd already drilled in all the symptoms into my head since I was fourteen."

"Nothing wrong with being prepared."

Louis quirked an eyebrow defensively, thinking of the piles of leaflets, books and links to internet sites he had made a habit of leaving around Harry's room, in his school bag and downloaded onto his phone.  

What if Harry had started this when the band had been on tour and Louis was unable to get back to him? What if he'd had to experience this all on his own?  Louis had been adamant that Harry would know how to deal with this inside and out, just in case the worst had happened, and he hadn't been able to be there.

Of course it could have all gone another way.  Harry could have turned alpha!  Stranger things had happened - look at Niall!  Or he could have just ended up in the beta zone, which would have been such a waste!

If only he could high-five the Gods of biology, for granting his Harry with the blessing of living the rest of his life as an omega.  Louis was fully prepared to bow down to them, they definitely deserved to be bought a pint!

However, Biology God worshipping would have to wait.  Louis had far more important things to attend to.

Breathing in deeply, Louis analysed the strength and potency of the delicious, most delectable scent that was gradually seeping from Harry's pores. It was of course invisible to the naked eye, but Louis could sense it surrounding the younger boy as though it was a shimmering golden aura of glittering vapour.

Louis almost couldn't believe this was happening.  With loving eyes he observed Harry.  The younger boy was sitting on his bed whilst he waited quietly.  He wore jeans which as always were a little on the baggy side and an oversized sweatshirt, which Louis knew Harry wore to hide his - in Louis' opinion adorable - little tummy.  Glossy curls added a certain je ne sais quoi to his little face, which held all the sweetness and innocence of a cherub. Louis had never really understood the phrase before, and had often scoffed at the endearment.  But it really did feel as though Harry was blossoming before his very eyes.

"Ok. So you're only in the beginning stages," Louis mused thinking hard.  Ideally they would have been at home when this had happened.  Somewhere that Harry would feel safe and comfortable.  However, this would just have to do. "When did you last eat something?"

Harry shrugged.  "Breakfast?  I skipped lunch because I felt kinda squirmy inside.  Do you think I should?"

Louis nodded as though it was the most important question Harry had ever asked.  "Definitely, you need to eat, keep hydrated, and get as much rest as possible whilst you can."  He twirled one of Harry's curls around his finger and let it ping back onto his forehead in hope to make Harry giggle.  He had to keep his baby at ease.

"You're going to need all your strength over the next few days," he reminded Harry gently, a little concerned he was making everything sound too negative and off putting.  "How about you pick us a film to watch, I'll get us something to eat, and we'll cuddle up yeah?"  He tried to sound as natural as possible.  "I was getting bored of FIFA anyway."

Louis got up and strutted towards the door.  "Want me to let the lads know?" he questioned.  He suspected that Harry wouldn't want to make a big deal out of this himself.  

Harry nodded, a relieved smile upon his face, before he turned his attention to the television, and started to flick through Netflix for something to watch, but paused in order to throw the bedroom window as far as it would open.  Was it just a warm day?  Or was it him?

 

"Harry's in heat." Louis breezed as he strolled into the living room, and plopped himself down on the floor like it was no big deal.  He dug into his backpack for a pen and a pad of paper.  "Li? Can you pop into town?"

Louis scribbled out a list whilst the three other lads in the room looked between each other with loaded expressions.

"You wanna run that past me again mate?"  Liam asked, wide eyed and nonplussed at how Louis could just strut in, and announce something so significant, without even batting an eyelid.  

"Did you actually say that..."

Liam didn't get to finish, for Niall had just let out a loud peel of laughter, and enthusiastically slapped his hand against Zayn's, who looked more bemused by the commotion than anything else.

"Harry's an omega!" he cackled, wide eyed, his Irish accent thicker than usual.  "Called it! I totally called it!"

"Oh come on!" Zayn scoffed with a kind hearted smirk.  "He was obviously going to turn omega!  He was hardly going to present as an alpha was he?"

It was the hint of a growl which rumbled at the base of Louis' throat that stopped Zayn from going any further.  The only acknowledgement of his disdain since his pen or eyes never left the notepad.

"I so called it!" Niall continued gleefully and held out his hand, palm upwards.  "Pay up Zaynie boy!"

"You bet on my little brother?" Liam asked, bewildered and outraged in equal measures.  "I thought we learnt not to bet on stuff like that after Niall?"

Louis swallowed a snort of laughter as he finished his list of requirements.  Being friends for such a long time, they had all thought it would be a laugh to bet on which direction each of them would turn, which was a great laugh with accurate results... until it turned out that - rather awkwardly - Liam, Zayn and Louis had all predicted Niall would turn out to be a beta.  This did not go down at all well, and for three weeks, Niall would only talk through Harry who had been the only one who betted that he would be an alpha.  Although he did admit to Louis at a later date in confidence, that he only betted that way because he _thought it would be what Niall would want to hear, regardless of what actually happened!_

"You are so out of..." Liam began to nag, when Louis thrust a piece of paper in front of his nose.

"Priorities Li," he reminded him.  "Can you pick this stuff up and leave it outside our bedroom door?  Harry's probably going to be asleep when you get back, and the more rest he gets the better, wouldn't you say?"

Liam glanced at the list, then Louis' retreating back, no doubt heading back to Harry.

"Why can't you get them?" Liam asked bluntly.  "I'm needed here to talk Harry through this thing.  You know what you want anyway."  

Liam squinted at the paper.  "What is half of this stuff?" he asked almost going cross eyed with concentration.  "Bottom line is mate, I'm Harry's brother.  I should stay with him."

Louis struggled not to roll his eyes in the most exasperated of fashions.  He should have known this would happen.

"Liam.  Harry is absolutely spot-on with the theory of the whole thing," Louis reassured him.  "He's been reading up about this since he was fourteen.  Trust me.  He knows his shit.  However, someone is going to have to support him through this."  Louis' eyes widened empathically as he talked, trying to convince the alpha in front of him that he knew what he was talking about.  "And that person is going to be me," he finished with an affirmative nod.  "I'm just the cool, calm, collected best friend that there ever was. I am the face of heat buddies!"

"You're also a horny alpha!" Liam pointed out sternly, thinking of the gaggles of omega girls that always seemed to swarm around Louis at social events and nights out.  "If you think for one second it's a good idea for Harry to experience..."

"Oh, Lou will be able to show him some experience!" Zayn smirked suggestively.  His eyebrows bounced on his forehead as he made knowing eyes at one of his closest mates, not realising he wasn't really helping with Louis' persuasive tactics.  Hastily Louis went to diffuse the situation.

"All of us know that Harry is calmest and most comfortable when he's around me," Louis started as he brought up a well-known fact.  It was commented upon most days by at least one of the three lads.  "I may be an alpha Li, but you know I would never hurt Harry!  He's going to be experiencing all these brand new emotions, with all those hormones crashing around his body, and he's going to need someone to be there to give him cuddles and reassurance when he's all paranoid and... needy.  Also..." Louis made an awkward face.  "Which would you prefer and trust to be alone with your little brother for five or so days?"

Liam looked between Louis' pointed expression and where Niall and Zayn were wrestling the floor.  Niall was trying in vain to get his winnings out of his mates pocket, Zayn was putting up quite the resistance!

"Absolutely right mate," Liam agreed with a decisive nod.  He indicated to the paper in his hand. "So... erm... you need all of this?  Towels?  Sheets?  Liquid glucose?"

Suddenly Liam frowned, squinted once again at the page, then looked up at Louis, eyes softly blazing with disapproval.  "I am not getting this for my _little brother_!" He bit out, a little harsher than necessary, and jabbed the page with his index finger.  Louis looked at where he was pointing. "Think of the alternative mate," was all he could reply with, a knowing smirk on his face, because he knew that was all he had to say for Liam to fold.  "If you're happy with that, don't buy it."

Liam shuddered at what Louis was implying.  "No, no, no!" Liam insisted and shook his head.  "I'm not happy with this!  Harry's my brother, I should be the one supporting him through this.  Especially since it's his first time.  I know you mean well mate, but I should really step up and take this one."

Louis sighed inwardly. Trust Liam to decide to be the perfect elder brother now.  But fine, if he wanted to be difficult, Louis would just have to take it up a notch.

"No probs," Louis shrugged as he plucked the list out of Liam's hand, and looked around for his sweatshirt.  "I'll go and pick this little lot up, and you go take care of Harry."  He checked his watch with a smile as innocent as a new born baby.  "Who should be naked and horny in a matter of hours," he tapped his finger on his chin thoughtfully.  "I wonder who's gonna come out of this more scarred?"

Liam gulped.  As much as he loved Harry to pieces, that was something he did _not_  want to deal with, and Louis knew it.

"Fine," he amended and snatched the list out of Louis' awaiting finger tips.  "Go ahead.  That would be inappropriate.  But, he had better not come out of this... scarred either!"

Louis' heart sank a fraction deeper than he had anticipated by such an accusation.  Liam didn't mean that Louis would leave Harry emotionally scarred.  He meant marked.  Something that Louis had already sworn to himself that he would not do.

"I'm not going to mark him Liam," he snapped.  "Shouldn't have to tell you that!"

"Lou never marks," Niall piped up helpfully from where he sat on top of a wriggling Zayn.  "Don't wanna be tied down, do you buddy?"

Louis swallowed hard.  He might as well play along.  "Exactly!" he pretended to rejoice.  "Give me some credit!"

Liam seemed to be weighing up the pros and cons of the situation. "Fine," he muttered after a pause, then picked his coat up from off the back of a chair.  "You have my approval."  His big brown eyes softened back to his regular puppy dog expression.  "Take care of him mate.  He couldn't be in better hands really."

"As long as you're sure," Louis replied sweetly, and with a pop of his hip, he turned abruptly and strutted towards the kitchen.  He needed to get a move on as he still had to whip up a bit of food for himself and Harry.  Things could accelerate very quickly.

 

"Ok.  I think we're all set up," Louis stated to Harry almost an hour later.  

Liam had delivered two huge plastic bags of supplies to their door.  He'd briefly knocked, but hadn't dared to enter in case Harry was sleeping... or he saw something mentally scarring!  Louis was rather surprised he'd managed to get together everything on his list so easily, but then again, Liam _was_  incredibly organised.

Harry, to Louis' delight, had wolfed down the food he'd made him.  It wasn't the best cooking in the world - Louis was no chef - but it was nutritious and lean, and would see Harry through the next few hours.  

Full and contented, Harry now sat in bed, cuddled up under the duvet as he watched and waited for Louis to come back to bed.  He wanted his best friend to stop messing about with clothes and bottles of water so that they could continue their film.  As happy as he was to discover he had presented, all the commotion had put him on edge.  It was difficult to relax like Louis had requested, when the alpha wouldn't sit still!

Finally Louis had finished, but before anything else, Louis wanted to have a serious talk with Harry first.

"I want you to have a look at something I've got for you," Louis stated awkwardly.  He went to hand Harry an unmarked bag, before changing his mind at the last second and kept it close to his chest instead.  "But first, we need to talk about some things that might happen over the next few days. I need to know that you are completely comfortable with me being here with you."  He watched as Harry frowned and nodded slowly. "You remember reading about Gremlins right?"

Harry nodded again.  Gremlins were another name for hormones in the books he had read.  He knew that once this heat had properly kicked off, he would be experiencing a whole array of new sensations, thoughts and feelings.  And although he had read all about them, Harry would have no idea how they would affect him until he was right in the middle of it.

"I need you to understand," Louis continued gently, sitting close to Harry, "that over the next few days you might think things, feel things, maybe even say things that are only in your head because the Gremlins are in there. Things that you might not actually want or need if you were thinking with your actual brain.  But it's ok. It's perfectly natural, it's perfectly healthy, and I'm not going to judge you in any way, alright?"

Harry nodded again, a faint blush tinged his cheeks with embarrassment over thoughts of what he could end up saying.  Louis fought the urge to pinch his nose.  Harry's increasing levels of hormones, mixed with the sweetest scent of his embarrassment were making it hard for him to concentrate.  It was just so damn arousing!

"We all know the reason that omegas go into heat don't we?"  Louis pressed.  He needed to know that Harry was aware of what was going to happen.  "To reproduce.  To mate.  Your body's aim during the next few days is to do both of those things.  You will be craving the body of an alpha.  You will be craving the aspects of an alpha that will accomplish both those things.  Are you with me?"

Harry nibbled on his bottom lip, eyes downcast at his hands.  He played with his fingers nervously.  Louis could smell the slight whiff of something beginning to scald - Harry was nervous.

"You're an alpha," Harry commented.  "What are you trying to say?  I know all this.  I've read all about it."

Louis took his index finger and lightly stroked Harry's cheek.  "I am an alpha," he reaffirmed needlessly.  "What I'm trying to say, is that..." he cleared his throat.  He felt like a complete idiot.  "There's going to be a big part of you that's going to be craving me... because I'm an alpha!" Louis added quickly.  "Just because I'm an alpha and I'm here."

Louis shifted uncomfortably on the bed and held the paper bag tighter in his hand.  "You're going to want me to mark you and impregnate you, and I want to reassure you right from the start, that I'm not going to do either."

Harry's head snapped up.  The scorching smell faded out, replaced with something slightly exotic that Louis couldn't quite put his finger on, was it part of Harry's newly acquired hormones? Because this was a new scent on Harry!

"And you're saying I'm going to want that _just_  because I'm on heat?" Harry requested to clarify.  "Because of the Gremlins?"

Louis swallowed again, and nodded.  He and Harry had discussed awkward subjects in the past from toilet trouble, to why certain areas of Harry's body might be a little _perkier_ when he awoke in the morning.  But this was a new level of awkward, you could even call it intimate. 

"Then..."  Harry was getting tired.  He felt so strange and on edge.  His head felt a little bit spacey.  Maybe the Gremlins were already starting to move in.  "How will I know when I want those things because I actually want them?"

Harry looked so sleepy, so confused, his face twisted into an expression which reminded Louis of someone who was attempting long division without a calculator.

Louis gently smiled as a mixture of Harry's different emotional scents settled around him like a cloud of mist.  He lent forward, carding his fingers through the boy's hair. "You'll know that you really want those things, when you want them outside of a heat," he explained, his eyes the softest blue, "and you have plenty of time to figure that out.  You're only sixteen love, and you have the whole world at your feet.  But it's going to be so much more restrictive for you if you're tied down with a pup on the way! I don't want that for you.  So that's why I'm here.  To keep you feeling safe, to keep you feeling calm, to make this as comfortable as possible for you."

Louis swallowed hard again, Harry's hormones were surging in a new direction and they were starting to make him feel dizzy with the 180º turn arounds. "I promise to make sure you come out of this exactly the same as you came into it," he rounded up, trying not to let the tone of his voice give him away.  As an alpha, he could foresee that these promises could be very difficult for him to keep.  "Unmarked, unmated, still a virgin, and I know you want that too."

Louis eased himself into bed next to Harry, and finally passed him the paper bag.  He needed to make this quick.  The poor little omega was tiring rapidly, nodding along to what Louis was saying more on auto pilot than anything else.

Harry really was the sweetest thing.

"This might be necessary," Louis explained hesitantly, not sure how Harry was going to react when he saw what was inside.  "Have a look at it. Don't be scared by it - they really are very common - but whilst you're in sound mind, I really need your consent... I need to know that you trust me this much."

Harry examined it with a blank expression.  He read the blurb on the back, then shrugged.  "I trust you," he answered simply, handed it back to Louis, then yawned widely.  He pawed at Louis' arm.  It was clear that he wanted it around him.  

Even if he was a bundle of nerves, Harry felt so lethargic, and as though his mind and body were separating.  Whilst his mind was awash with whispers of undetermined visions that made him tired, his body was twitching and itching to get as close to Louis as possible, refusing to allow him to relax until it was pinned as far as possible in the alpha's embrace.  It was such a strange sensation.  Harry felt clingy and out of control.   Were these Gremlins?  

Harry hated to think of how much worse he would have felt if Louis hadn't been with him right now.  It really did seem that the older alpha had thought of everything, even things Harry hadn't considered.  He was so grateful that Louis had encouraged him to read up on all of this from such an early age. He would have been a mess without that knowledge, and probably would have been convinced he was dying or something!  Even the information he did have stored in his mind seemed to have fragmented and splintered, to the point where he couldn't fully rely on it even if he wanted to.

Louis accepted the bag back, leaned over the side of the bed to set it on the floor.  He wanted it nearby, but he was still in two minds if it should be used, regardless of the fact that Harry had consented.  

Pushing all needs to decide right away, Louis turned back around and opened his arms out wide, expecting Harry to sweetly slip into them.  Instead, the wind was sorely knocked out of him as Harry practically flung himself into his embrace.  Louis sucked in a large breath of much needed oxygen as Harry burrowed and snuggled until he was fully settled down on his side, his arms as tight as a vice around his torso.

Finally settled Harry beamed at him as brightly as his sleepy eyes would allow, then hid his face into Louis' warm, solid chest.  He breathed in the cool relaxing smell of Louis' fresh cotton t-shirt mixed with the indescribable scent of Louis - that never failed to comfort him to the core - and wrapped his arms tighter around the older alpha's back.  Louis really was the perfect pillow to cuddle with.  He was Harry's favourite person in the entire world, and he honestly was the only alpha he would even consider spending his heat with, the first or otherwise.

"Promise?" Louis asked, dropping an elongated kiss onto the top of his curls.  "Promise you feel one hundred per cent secure with this?"

"I promise," Harry murmured and nuzzled his nose into Louis' neck.  "You shouldn't need to ask.  After all, I've trusted you implicitly all my life.  Ever since the day I was born.  How many best friends can actually say that?"

"Maybe one in a million?" Louis smiled into the tips of Harry's curls, and stroked Harry's back from his shoulder blades right down to the base of his spine.  He found cuddles as beneficial as the giver as the one being cuddled.  Just like Harry he was feeling pretty sleepy himself.  This was good.  Just like a mother with a newborn, he should really nap at the same time as Harry.  Who knew what their sleep pattern would be like over the next few days?  But in the last few moments of consciousness, Louis couldn't resist pressing one last kiss to the curly, silky mop under his nose.

"Fewer," Harry breathed out heavily one last time.  His eyelashes fanned out over his slightly chubby cheekbones, his lips relaxed and parted the smallest amount as his breathing evened out, finally falling into an easy sleep.  Continuing to stroke the younger omega's back with the tips of his fingers, Louis wasn't too far behind him.

 

Louis had not long turned four years old the date that Harry was born.  No matter how many years passed between that day and the current one, the memory of it stayed consistently strong and vivid in his mind.

It had started out as a normal day.  Jay had taken Louis to his school session in the morning, collected him at lunchtime with Liam in tow and some exciting news.  Liam's mummy had had another baby!

The news wasn't exactly that exciting to Louis who was under the impression that babies were boring.  But three year old Liam was in his element.  Already wearing his 'Big Brother' badge proudly on his little denim jacket, he chatted excitedly in the backseat to Louis and Jay full of happy anticipation about his new role within his family.  Louis was more excited that Liam was going to be sleeping over at his house for a few nights so that Anne and Des could acclimatise to having a newborn in the house.  It would be fun to have a live-in playmate for a little while.

Anne finally called Jay just after teatime requesting that she brought Liam over to meet his new baby brother.  Opting for a home birth, she was already settled at home and really wanted to see her other baby before he had to go to bed.  The squeal Liam let out was so high pitched and shrill that Louis had to cover his ears.

"Do I have to come?" he grumbled as Jay helped him into his coat.  He wistfully looked back at his toy cars, he and Liam had been having such a good time, now he would have to sit, be quiet and be bored.

"Yes you do," Jay explained patiently.  "You go wherever I go Boo!"

Louis rolled his little eyes and purposely dragged his feet whilst Liam bounced excitedly in Jay's arms.  He couldn't wait to see his mummy again!  He'd missed her so much, and yet he'd only seen her that morning.

Des met them at the door.  He was the image of a proud papa and was so excited that he was almost bouncing just as much as Liam was.  

"Anne was amazing!" he enthused to Jay as soon as he opened the door.  "It was over so quickly!  She's absolutely fine!  No complications!"  Happy tears filled his eyes as he picked up Liam and gave him a cuddle.  "It's a baby boy Li!" he told his step-son.  "You've got a little brother!"  He turned to Jay, his full face lit up with emotional glee.  "I've got a son!"

Des ushered them all up to the bedroom he shared with Anne.  Louis hung back.  He didn't understand what the big deal was.  Who was this boy?  Where had he come from?  Why was everyone so excited?  It wasn't like any of them knew him...

Anne was sat up in bed, cradling a little bundle of blankets in her arms.  Her face was already a picture of happiness, but it shone a little brighter when she heard Liam's voice and saw him run to her.  Des sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled Liam onto his lap so he could meet the baby.

"Sweetheart, this is Harry," Anne told Liam gently.  "You're new little brother."

Upon Des' lap, Liam stiffened.  All of a sudden he didn't want to meet the baby.  He'd been so excited, but that was when it was inside his mummy's tummy.  Safely out of the way.  Now it was here, and it was unknown and scary.  Liam didn't like it.  He didn't like how his mummy was looking at it which was the same way as she looked at him.  He didn't want to share his mummy!  Uttering a high pitched whine, Liam threw himself off Des' lap and ran crying to his own bedroom.  He wanted to be away from the baby.

"I'll go," Des told Anne immediately, who looked crestfallen and kissed her forehead gently.  "Don't worry, he'll be ok.  He's probably a bit overwhelmed.  I know I am!" 

"Do you really think he'll be all right?' Anne immediately asked Jay, who had been her closest friend for many years.  "I was worried about how he would react to the new baby, and I'm starting to fear I was right to."

"He will be fine," Jay soothed.  "He's only young, he'll have forgotten all about this soon.  Now, are you going to introduce us?" She moved a little closer, her hand on Louis' shoulder.

"Of course," Anne beamed and waited for Jay to sit next to her on the bed so she could pass over her precious bundle.  "This is Harry Edward Styles.  I know I'm biased, but isn't he beautiful!"

"Oh!  Anne!  He's gorgeous!" Jay breathed as she took her first look at the baby boy.  "Hasn't he got a sweet little face?  His little nose!  And those eyelashes!"

It was instantaneous.  From another room Liam yelled out "No" at the top of his lungs.  From inside the room baby Harry awoke and began to cry at the highest volume his little lungs could muster.  

Louis glared and stuck his hands over his ears and dropped to the floor in a sulk.  This was not fun!

Jay quickly handed Harry back to his mum, who began to rock and coo over him immediately.  

"I'll go and see if I can help Des," she told Anne with a small smile.  "Boo, stay right where you are and be a good boy for Anne yeah?"

Louis sighed and removed his hands from his ears.  There was no point in covering them, he could still hear crying!

"Aww Harry bear, don't cry!" Anne whispered softly.  Then she began to sing a little lullaby.  Harry didn't stop crying, but it did make Louis gravitate towards her, climbing onto the bed and moving closer.

"Aww, do you want to come and say hello?" Anne asked, seeing Louis creep closer, and dying to show off her beautiful boy to anyone and everyone.  "He's a little grumpy right now, but he'll quieten down.  He is only a few hours old after all.  You are one of the first people to meet him Lou, he's barely opened his eyes yet."

Louis crawled closer and knelt up to get a better look.  Now he would get to see what all the fuss was about!  One glance, what was special about this baby?  It didn't look anything to make a fuss about.

"Please stop crying," Louis muttered and fearlessly but gently patted the little hand poking out of the blanket with his own.  "Be a happy baby!" He glanced at Anne peevishly.  He was not impressed.  

But then something happened.  

Harry stopped crying.

Louis looked down in surprise at the sudden quiet.  For the first time since he'd first seen Harry, the baby's eyes were open and staring with curiosity right up at him.  

It wasn't something that made sense.  Louis was only four years old, Harry hadn't even been in the world for twenty-four hours yet.  But right there and then, when Louis met Harry's eyes for the first time, he understood what all the fuss was about, he understood why Harry was special as he was sucked into the two innocent and unknowing pools.  Without thinking, without breaking eye contact Louis stroked the back of Harry's hand with his finger.  

Baby Harry yawned contentedly and his eyes flickered shut.  

They had only been open for a few seconds, but that had been long enough for Louis' entire existence to change.  His young mind couldn't begin to comprehend how huge a moment it had been, and he would still stay in the dark for a number of years to come.  

After all, how could a four year old possibly understand that by looking into that particular baby's eyes, Louis' world had stopped spinning on its axis for a split second.  How could he explain how he had seen cracks scratch across the surface, as a powerful earthquake ruptured from within Louis' inner core, exposing each hidden and encrypted cypher related the young boy's future, burning them to a cinder within the depths of his vision, each and every puzzle to his heart rewritten and soldered together as his fate was sealed.

All it took was one shared look within the blink of an eye.

"Would you like to hold Harry?" Anne asked, happy that her baby was now fast asleep and that he'd stopped crying.

Louis nodded, his face alight with wonder as the little bundle that was Harry was placed carefully in his lap.  Louis held him gently, then with the same hand as before, he stroked the back of Harry's tiny hand.  It was so small, so soft.  A little gasp came from both himself and Anne as Harry fidgeted in his sleep, then shaped said hand around Louis' one finger.

"I really like Harry," Louis whispered.

Louis really did like Harry, which would only flourish and grow with every passing day, all because of the bond that had been created the first time that they looked into each other's eyes.

 

Twenty year old Louis awoke some hours later to sixteen year old Harry fidgeting next to him, trying yet failing to get up without disturbing him.

Somewhere during their nap, Harry had rolled onto his back, and Louis had flopped onto his front.  His left arm rested heavily across Harry's chest, which was rising and falling in rapid succession.

"Harry?" Louis asked as he awoke instantly and noted the slight sheen of sweat on Harry's brow. "Are you ok love?"

Harry looked more embarrassed than anything else. Embarrassed and irritated. "I'm really uncomfortable."  He frowned as he gave up his attempt in being discrete and finally pushed Louis' arm off his chest, in order to get out of bed.  "It's too hot... and..."

"And?" Louis prompted.  He got up himself and followed Harry into the ensuite bathroom to fetch a cool damp cloth. Poor Harry, he did look hot and bothered.

"Wet," Harry mumbled, looking a little anxious.  "Down there... it's... well... it's irritating me, and it's getting worse."

 _Stage two,_ Louis thought to himself. He put on a cheery unconcerned expression in order to calm Harry's anxiety.  "Perfectly natural love. It's what happens remember?  Omegas produce slick to..."

"I know what it is," Harry whined pitifully.  "I just want to... change into something more comfortable... and clean it up..."

Louis felt bad, but he couldn't stop himself from reminding Harry how he was going to keep producing slick - at some points in vast quantities - so clearing up wasn't really going to help.  However, changing into looser clothes of a natural fibre was a very good idea.

Deciding to check the stages on his phone, Louis logged onto his internet browser, when all of a sudden he felt as though he had been thrown backwards against the wall.

A ravenous growl rumbled in the base of his throat at the intoxicating scent that was so over powering Louis could barely breathe. This wasn't just ensnaring his senses, it was smothering him in a headlock!

A red mist was starting to gather, it captured his common sense, clouded out everything in his surrounding vision, apart from the one thing that had gotten Louis feeling so out of control.

Harry was in the middle of changing, a very innocent thing to do. He was wet and uncomfortable, and all he was doing was changing his underwear for a fresh pair. However, that was not all he was doing - deliberately or otherwise.

Louis struggled with all his might to keep himself on the bed as he gazed, hungry, salivating at his open mouth, and desperate at the most triggering sight he had ever seen.

Harry had his back to him, bent double, as he searched in his bag for a pair of fresh boxers.  And Louis could see _everything_!

Now there was no fabric trapping the slick inside, and because Harry was leant so - provocatively - far forward, every dribble of deliciousness was there for Louis to both see and smell.

Louis' muscles screamed in agony as he tensed every one of them in order to _hold_  himself back, to stop himself from _lunging_  forward.  All he _wanted_ , all he _craved_ was to grab Harry's pert, mouth-watering, little bum cheeks in both hands and just bury his nose right into the crack, letting his tongue taste...

Taste?  More like set up camp there and lick and suck at Harry's pretty little hole until he was bone dry!  Then again, Harry was also in the perfect position for Louis to just whip it out and mount him...

Louis almost yelled out loud just to silence himself.  He had to get a grip, he had to get a _fucking_ grip!  He knew this was going to be a bit difficult, but he hadn't mentally prepared himself for just how much of a struggle this was.  Never in his entire life, from being a hormonal teenager or a newly presented alpha, had he felt so _animalistic!_   So hard he was throbbing inside his own trousers, his hands automatically shot down to the fastening keeping himself confined.  He had to do something, he had to ease the pressure!

Yet the solution to his problem was bent over right in front of him.  Surely he would be doing himself a disservice if he didn't take full advantage of this opportunity.  After all, he felt like it was going to cause him physical pain if he didn't.  He was a fully fledged alpha in his prime!  If he wanted to break in the new virginal omega, he had every right!  He could sink himself into that tight oasis of a hole, let himself fully submerge, maybe even drown in it if he wanted to.

"Harry! What is the first rule of omega heats?" Louis cried out, his inner anguish presented clearly in his tone, his common sense clawing at the red mist that was steadily taking over his body and putting such depraved thoughts into his mind. "Don't fucking _present_  in front of a _horny alpha_!"

Gasping for air, Louis groped around on top of the duvet with one hand, and pinched his nose so tightly with the other he almost feared it would break.  But Louis finally located what he was looking for.  He snapped off the lid with trembling finger, then stuck it up one nostril with force, inhaling sharply.  First in one nostril and then the other.

It had an instant effect. The soothing counter chemicals rapidly diffused his sense of smell, the scent of Harry's heat evaporating. The mist began to clear, from a deep blood red to a burnt orange, finally dispersing into a light pink.  Then it was gone.

Louis' eyes stopped watering and pulled focus, just in time to see Harry worriedly pull on a pair of new boxers and struggle with some jogging bottoms.

"Sorry," Harry mumbled, hesitant at coming back to Louis.  The older boy had never spoken to him with that tone, and it had both shocked and scared him in equal measures, although he also felt the smallest feeling of triumph which he couldn't explain. "I didn't think."

"Clearly!"  Louis shook his head as though it was an attempt to get water out of his ears.  "I'm not that strong love!  You should _never_  turn your back on an alpha when you're in heat!  Especially stark _naked_!  You _presented_  yourself to me!  Do you know what could have happened then?"

Louis collapsed back against the pillows, his hand trembled where he held it over his heart where it pounded erratically as he panted hard, all his carefully stored energy had been sapped out of him.  And Harry was only at stage two!  This was not going to be as easy on him as he had imagined!  He had been certain that he would be able to do this.  But it was turning out that he really did have little to no control.

Harry eventually, with much persuasion on Louis' part, made it back to bed.  Harry curled back into Louis' strong, masculine frame and let Louis fall asleep first this time. He felt so guilty, he had only been trying to change his boxers... and show himself off to Louis.  Didn't Louis want to see him like that?  He _had_  to present himself, entice and tempt his alpha with his most seductive attributes, because otherwise, Louis might never try to mate with him!

Clearly the Gremlins had made their first proper appearance.

 

Day one of Harry's heat went rather smoothly after that incident.  Harry's temperature was high, and he needed lots of encouragement to drink the fluids Louis had filled the room with.  He didn't like how he had to constantly keep swallowing the stuff down, but Louis was patient as always and gently reminded him - time after time - that along with the perspiration, his slick was using up a lot of his bodies hydration, and pretty soon that wasn't the only loss of water he would face.

Stage three started on the night of day two.  They had watched films all day between rehydrating Harry and changing his boxers, which was almost every forty-five minutes for a new pair.  

Harry was opposed to all aspects of being in heat so far.  He disliked feeling dirty and sticky.  He hated how Louis refused to look at him whilst he changed.  Harry didn't understand why the alpha insisted on facing the other way with some type of inhaler stuck up his nose.

Louis did wash his soiled underwear in the bathroom sink, with one hand pinching his nose at all times.  It had concerned him that they were unable to dry it properly, but Harry's skin was so heated, not only did it dry out within a matter of minutes, but it also soothed the young omega, which was a good thing overall.  Sometimes in horrible situations, even the smallest thing of damp cotton upon uncomfortable hot skin could really make things a lot more manageable.

The night of day two saw Harry, still being the adolescent that he was, ejaculate hard in his sleep.  He awoke instantly, realised what had happened and hysterically burst into tears.  He was wet from the slick, sticky from the semen around his crotch and stomach, and sweaty all over.  The embarrassment and shame over the situation was just too much!

Louis dried his tears, washed his stomach clean and changed the bedding, which was a waste of time in the end, because over the next four hours, Harry would drop off to sleep and the whole process would occur twice more.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Louis patiently crooned as he wiped Harry's stomach clean on the third occasion, with the upmost care.  He willed himself not to pay attention, but he was just unable to ignore how _hard_  Harry had become only moments after ejaculating.  The more he tried to avert his gaze, the more Louis' attention was pulled magnetically back.  Saliva gathered on his tongue as he zoned in upon his tented erection, which within his tight little boxer briefs was bordering on _obscene._

Clenching his teeth, Louis tried to concentrate on the task in hand, to make Harry feel safe and comfortable.  But as he wiped with the damp wash cloth, all he became was more aware of where his hand was positioned.  It was just _so_  close to Harry's bulge.  Louis could make it look so innocent.   If he was to move his wrist, just so, it would graze the covered tip where it was stained from the inside, and he would have Harry's sweet and pure semen on his skin... Louis shuddered involuntary.  Beneath his forced calm exterior, Louis' mind was falling to pieces, faster than he was able to piece it back together, crackling with static as his walls crumbled.  

Behind all of it, Louis was just miserable.  Because of every fleeting thought, every desire he had to fight with himself not to selfishly fulfil, how hard he was finding it to control himself.  But even more so by how downtrodden and humiliated Harry was.

There was no cheeky, sunshine smile.  No dimples.  There was no light in his eyes of positivity, eagerness or love for life.  Harry was just an anxious, humiliated shell of a boy, and as much as Louis would give all his arms, legs, torso _and_  knot to have a sexual encounter with him.  Louis would give everything _twice_  over to have his happy and carefree Harry back.  The omega couldn't even look Louis in the eye.  He refused to cuddle with him to the alpha's dismay, and turned his back on Louis when they lay down, kicking out with his leg when Louis attempted to hold him from behind.  Harry was past being embarrassed and humiliated, now he was upset with a brewing threat of anger.

Blinking back tears, Louis lay on his side, a safe distance away, stuck with having to watch Harry's back and breathe in the scent of the heavy rainfall that was radiating out of Harry's pores, the same scent he always tended to secrete when he was suffering utmost devastation.  Louis had never felt such a failure.  As an alpha, as a man, as a friend, as a potential lover, Louis was failing Harry miserably.  He didn't even want Louis to attempt to comfort him now.  That was what hurt him most of all.

Early morning of day three started with Harry waking up - from barely three hours of collected sleep over the last nine - metaphorically on the wrong side of the bed.

He was sick of his underwear constantly stuck to him from the slick, which was now constantly seeping out of his anus.  It disgusted him the way it trickled down between his cheeks and his inner thighs and stuck to the fine baby hairs on his calves.  He wanted to cry at the tacky stickiness of thick, oozing semen that dribbled between his balls that was caused from having no control over his ejaculations when he was asleep.  It made him itch in a most unattractive manor, and Harry detested it!

"When is this going to _fucking_  end!"

Louis woke up to Harry on the verge of a rampage, exclaiming expletives as he tore the drenched fabric off his legs and chucked it out of the open window, along with every other pair of boxer briefs that had been hanging on the shower rail to dry, and some still soiled pairs that Louis was yet to wash.

"Shit!" Louis gasped as he came too quicker than he usually would from a normal sleep, and scrabbled to get up.  This was an emergency and he needed backup.  With the sound of Harry wailing in his ears, Louis rushed to bang loudly on the opposite wall, then caught hold of and dragged a hysterical Harry away from the open window.  Pushing him down onto the bed shocked the omega long enough for Louis to hastily shut the window - only pausing to linger long enough to spy the discarded boxers all over the lawn and a couple lodged in the branches of a nearby tree.

Stage three was getting messy.

Harry had never sworn.  Ever.  This was worrying in itself, but now there was the added bonus that Harry had chucked scent soaked items of clothing into the atmosphere, pretty much creating an invitation to a heat party!

"What's wrong Louis?" shouted Niall urgently.  The Irish alpha pounded the door as he responded to Louis' sound of alarm.  "What's wrong with Harry?"

"Stage three!" Louis shouted back.  "Thrown his scent out of the window! Fucking get rid of it!"

Louis heard Niall swear loudly.  He was well aware of what that meant.  Niall's urgent instructions blended with the sound of Zayn and Liam's worried voices and the thunder of footsteps to the front door.

"I'm sorry," Harry whimpered from the bed, rubbing his tired red eyes.  "Please clean me Lou!  I'm so dirty!  I don't like it!  I don't _fucking like it!_ "

Louis was already on it.  First he pressed a hurried kiss to Harry's damp curls, then he found and yanked a surgical mask over his nose and mouth that was drenched in hormone suppressant.  Harry was indeed filthy - in the most appetising way - and Louis was ashamed to say he needed all the help he could get.

Unable to look at Harry because he knew his heart would break, he hastily unpacked three huge towels from Liam's bag of supplies and spread one out over the covers of the bed.  It was easy lifting the boy on top of it.  Poor Harry was painfully pliant and needy under his touch.

Even though Harry was completely naked, his legs spread, sweet spots on show, the image of everything that made him powerless in his own skin, Louis barely noticed it this time.  He couldn't see anything except the distraught and defeated expression on Harry's face.

Louis cleaned him up the best he could, draped a towel over his crotch, and used the last fresh one to dab at Harry's face. "Can I cuddle you?" he pleaded.  His voice sounded thick and muffled behind the mask.

"Get it off!" Harry wailed, causing Louis' fragile heart to break.  He made grabby hands and swiped at Louis' face. "I can't see you properly!  Am I _that_  disgusting?  Do I smell _that_ bad! Take it _off_!"

Louis complied, but only because Harry was so distraught over it.  It worried him at how much of a state Harry would be in if he wasn't the one with him right now.  Scared him to think he might have had to endure this alone.  Poor Harry, he was doing so well too, despite his outburst.

Removing his mask pacified Harry immensely, who chose to just lay between the two towels instead of confining himself to more underwear, not like they had much choice, all but a couple of pairs had been thrown out of the window!

Louis encouraged him to drink a large glass of water with added glucose syrup for energy, and tried to distract him with endless chat about a variety of topics which didn't really have a point to them.

Through the closed window he could hear Niall, Liam and Zayn quite clearly as they collected Harry's soiled items.  Louis was glad they had decided to stick around for support instead of going to the studio or leaving them alone in the flat - they were good lads like that.  Mates for life.

It was around that time that Harry's stages of heat went up a notch and entered the phase of OCM.  Obsessive Compulsive Masturbation.

It started when Louis had tried to distract Harry with a computer game.  Harry had decided he didn't want to be touched right now, so cuddles and films were out of the question, so was talking, as Harry was too frustrated, uncomfortable and angry to hold up his end of a conversation.  

Louis watched anxiously as the young omega jabbed at the buttons of the controller and moved the little blue hedgehog around the screen, but instead of making Harry smile as it usually did and revert back to his childhood when he had been obsessed with this game, he looked irritated and even more distracted than he had been already.

It was like Harry was perched upon a pin cushion.  He fidgeted, crossed and un-crossed his legs, sat on his feet, then moved almost instantly to sit on his bum.  No position allowed him to be comfortable.  But then again, why should he be?  It was just another point to add to his elongated list of what a terrible omega he was.  Everything about him just seemed to be turning Louis  _off_!  He'd presented to him, something which he had repeatedly and subtly tried to do again and again with each boxer change, but Louis wouldn't even look at him, and when he did, there was this look of hardened fire.  Harry was convinced he revolted the alpha.  Which meant he was the lowest of the low when it came to omegas.  Louis had no problem getting his kit off and stuck in to others, and here he was laying it all out on a plate for him, and all Louis wanted to do was clean him, talk and play stupid computer games!

What was wrong with him?

But Harry couldn't concentrate on these thoughts of self-deprecation for much longer.

 

Masturbation wasn't something that Harry had much  _hands-on_ experience with, but he had experimented to an extent.  He would never forget the day he woke up for the first time and found a certain part of him both standing to attention, and leaking some kind of translucent goo.  To say he had been freaked out had been an underestimate.  One hundred per cent sure that something was wrong with him and it was a symptom of how he was going to die, he called the only person who wanted to talk to about such a personal matter.  He called Louis.

Although in hindsight, Louis had probably wanted to burst out laughing and mock him - like he would have done with any of the others - all Harry received from his best friend was the sound of him quietly taking the call from where he had answered it in the shared bunk part of the bus, and shutting himself in the bathroom.  Harry's heart had been up in his throat, worried about what Louis was about to tell him.  But as usual, his best friend was kind, caring and concise.  

_Ok, so don't worry.  All you've got is an erection caused by your testosterone levels being high in your body during the early hours of the morning.  That's all it is love.  Nothing to be concerned about, happens to me all the time.  Actually, I'd be worried now if I woke up without one!  But don't be upset, tell you what, I'll send you some links so you can have a read about it.  If you have any questions, call me back._

Harry had been relieved.  Louis always knew what to say, always knew what to do.  He really was the most important human in Harry's life.  True to his word, Louis had sent him several links, which explained in more detail what Louis had just told him over the phone, and then something about what he could... to put it delicately... could do about it.

Wide eyed and feeling a little overwhelmed Harry reached for his phone again.

"Louis?"  Harry began to stutter as soon as the older lad answered his phone.  "I don't think I can do that!  What if I break it?"

"Sweetheart, you don't have to try that out if you don't want to.  I just sent you the link because... well... it would be natural for you to be curious about it.  You know I like you having all the information you need at your fingertips.  If it makes you uncomfortable, don't even give it another thought."

"Do you do it?" Harry blurted out, thinking about what he'd read and feeling both naughty and scandalised.  "To yourself?  Like that?"

"Well, yeah," Louis answered.  Harry was certain that he said it with a shrug.  "Most boys do.  But it's a personal thing Haz.  I didn't send you it to force it upon you.  But it's something that you can do - if you want to - that's perfectly natural and acceptable... you know... if you felt like trying it."

"Ok," Harry replied slowly.  "I'll... I'll keep reading... thanks for sending me these... they're really... helpful!"

"No worries sweet cheeks!" Louis promised breezily.  "Love you Haz, call me if you need anything."

"Love you too Lou."

The moment Harry hung up the phone, he snuck over to his bedroom door and locked it as quietly as possible.  He didn't want his mum or dad walking in on him reading about this stuff.

Getting back into bed, Harry burrowed under the covers with Boo the hedgehog, but after eyeing his cuddly toy warily, he changed his mind and moved him to the bottom of the bed, facing him towards the wall.

"This might not be something you want to be involved with," Harry told it seriously.  Then resumed his position under the covers.

First he re-read the link on Masturbation which Louis had sent him.  The older boy had been right, Harry was now incredibly curious.  So he googled the subject.  So many links.  Definitions, explanations, slag terms, and a demonstration video... now he was definitely curious!

He almost couldn't believe what he was looking at, but Harry couldn't look away.  His morning glory had long gone, but the longer he watched the beta pleasure himself, the more his dick started to jump and twitch under the covers as though it was begging him to touch it in the same way.  Freezing on the spot, Harry quickly slammed his laptop shut.  It had just occurred to him, that he hadn't even seen the beta on the screen.  All he had been thinking the entire time was  _this is what Louis does._ Harry had been picturing his best friend the entire time... and the thought wasn't all that bad... if anything it made the prospect of trying it out even more inviting.  He hadn't even seen how it finished... but he wanted to find out.

Getting comfortable, Harry wrapped one arm around his head, staring up at the ceiling, whilst his other hand drifted under the covers, down his stomach and tentatively took himself in his hand.  He started slow, exploring himself more than anything, he'd never felt himself before... like this. Another thought stuck him.  Once again he picked up his phone.

"What do you think about?" his voice came out high pitched and shrill because he felt so painfully shy.

"Think about?" Louis asked, puzzled.  "What do you... oh!  You mean..." the surprise was evident in his voice.

"Yeah,"

"Oh... you want to know what I think about... when I'm..."

"It's just that I was... you know... thinking about someone... er... something... and I didn't know if I should be," Harry stuttered out without clearly realising what he had just admitted to.

"Oh?" Louis gave a soft squeak.  "So... erm... you tried it?  Was it... erm... good?" Louis swore under his breath.  "Sorry love, I shouldn't have asked you that.  That's none of my business.  Don't answer that." He cleared his throat a good few times before he spoke again.  Back to his most confident and assuring once more.  "You can think about anyone or anything you want to Haz.  There's no right and wrong.  It's whatever makes you feel good and makes you enjoy your experience.  It's your body, your thoughts, whatever makes you comfortable." He laughed, "You can even think about me if you want!"

It was clearly a joke, and Harry laughed robotically.  They said "I love you" and hung up once more.  Only this time, he didn't go to touch himself again.  He knew he would only end up thinking about Louis... who was his best friend... that was weird... right?  Although Harry had stayed pretty curious, he never tried again.  And thankfully, Louis never asked.

 

The memory flickered through Harry's mind.  He had been reminded of it by the growing discomfort between his legs, and whereas his body had been more than happy to blow his load for him whilst he had been asleep, it clearly wasn't enough.  Of course it wasn't enough!  It was never enough!  

For a few moments he forgot that Louis was even in the room as one hand left the gaming controller.  Holding his breath Harry pressed the heel of his palm down against his bulge over the towel, and let out a low moan, his eyes falling shut and his head tilting backwards.  Finally something felt good!  Finally he was getting a little bit of relief!

Seconds later his eyes flew open when his whole body jerked erratically. "I need the bathroom," Harry stuttered, shocked and shame faced as he grasped the towel around him with quivering fingers, then without another word stumbled over to the bathroom door and shut it tightly behind him, locking Louis out.

"Harry?"

Louis was over at the door in an instant.  "Harry?  Love?  What's wrong?"  

Groans reached his ears through the wood and a low, muffled cry followed almost straight away with the sound of more grunting and broken moans.

"Harry?  Babe?  Sweetheart?  Open the door darling!"  Louis pleaded, his lips talking straight into the wood of the door.  "Remember this is perfectly natural. You're experiencing..."

But Harry ignored Louis.  Or he was so caught up in his own frustrated little world that he didn't even hear the lad to begin with.

For the next hour, Louis stood impatiently at the door, talking to Harry through the barrier.  He pleaded to be let in, begged for some kind of personal response, but it didn't take a genius to realise that Harry wasn't in the position to do anything, except try to get the infuriating itch to stop.  Poor Harry, he was getting closer and closer to stage four.

Verging upon three hours after Harry had first stumbled into the bathroom, Louis heard the first gap of silence from within, just before Harry let out a strangled cry.

"Louis! I need Louis! _Louis_!"

"Harry? Sweetheart, I'm right here!  Open the door darling, let me in!"

Shuffling.

"Lou! I can't move! _Help me_!"

Shit! Fucking shit!

"Harry, listen to me!" Louis tried to sound as soothing as he could, even though his insides were screaming.  "Get away from the door. Can you do that for me baby?"

A heart wrenching sob replied.  With a growl Louis flung himself at the locked door, shouldering it with all his might and strength.  It creaked under the strain, but held firm.  Louis kicked at it, hard, finally splintering a slight dent.  He kicked again and again, urged on by the pitiful sobs that had started up on Harry's side.  He had to get to Harry!

Once he had a sizeable hole, Louis reached inside, groped for the key and unlocked the door so it swung open.

Harry lay on the far side of the room next to the bath, curled up on his side facing away from Louis.  His usually pale skin was red and blotchy from his high temperature and he shivered violently.

Louis took a step towards him, his socked feet almost skidding in something wet, which wasn't hard to figure out what it was or where it had come from.

From the angle at which he was laid, Louis could see the steady trickle of slick, almost looking as though a tap had been left on inside Harry's back passage.  The floor was covered with it, a puddle forming where Harry was stationary.

The omega was panting loudly, whining pitifully as Louis carefully rolled him over.  It wasn't what the alpha wanted to see as he came face to face with hot and red, damp cheeks, sweat soaked curls, which were plastered to his overly hot head, and eyes so full with tears that Louis almost started crying himself.

"I can't _do_  this!" Harry tried to wail at him as they gained eye contact.  For the first time Louis noticed that Harry's hand was still gripped around his cock - so hard, so angry and painful to look at - but unable to move it much.  The veins in his wrist swollen into thick purple and blue lines prominent in his flesh.

Harry's eyes were rolled dizzily in their sockets.  He tried so hard to focus on Louis.  All he wanted was to be back to normal again.  He didn't want to be an omega anymore!  He was getting nothing out of this!  All he felt was hurt and rejected.  He wanted to tell Louis he loved him, but he was so exhausted, so wrecked with having the compulsive need to get off so many times in succession that it was near impossible to even speak.

Louis swallowed hard, Harry's scent was everywhere and it was making his muscles contract painfully because once again he had to resist.  Louis had never realised just how temperamental his hormones could be.  His natural urges so strong he almost bit off the tip of his own tongue in an attempt to keep his mouth to himself.

All his feelings were wrong.  His baby boy was a mess on the floor, and all he could think about was that his trousers were feeling far too tight.   Maybe if he just loosened his belt... took it off... rolled Harry over and stuck his... No!

His sense of rationality pulled him back, metaphorically punching himself hard in the face!  He would not do that!  He would never be able to forgive himself if he did that to his baby!

But he would have to help Harry.  The poor omega had no strength in him left at all, and it was evident how much discomfort he was in.  All Louis wanted to do was make him feel better.  But he couldn't do that in the way he was biologically programmed to.  Harry deserved more than that.

"Listen to me baby boy," Louis positively cooed to him as he pushed his fingers deep into Harry's curls, and scratched gently at his scalp in just the way that usually made Harry purr with happiness.  "You've been a good boy.   _Such_ a good boy, and you are handling this so well love.  I'm so proud of you."

Tears continued to fall from Harry's eyes, but from deep within, Louis saw just a glimmer of pride sparkle out, as though Harry was trying to preen at the compliment, but just didn't have enough strength left to do so.

"I'm going to pick you up baby," Louis continued to say softly, relieved when Harry's breathing began to slow, not panting so rapidly, "I'm going to take you back to bed, and you're going to lay on your back between my legs and..."

Louis swallowed hard as he felt his own grip on reality falter dramatically. "...I'm going to touch you... ok? I'll make it all better baby, you're such a good boy to make it on your own this far, but you need some help now don't you?"

Head lolling instead of nodding, eyes as wide as saucers, Harry mustered a weak smile as Louis gathered him in his arms, and picked him up as gently as possible to carry him back to bed.  He lay him down on top of the sheets and towel, then carefully climbed behind him, arranging Harry so that his back leant heavily upon Louis' chest, and steered his heavy, aching head onto his shoulder.

"Need you," Harry murmured.  He made a half-hearted attempt to wriggle his lower half.  Louis had known right from the start that there was a huge possibility that he would have to help Harry at some point - there had even been an entire section about it in _The Omega Heat Training Guide_ but he had deliberately not chosen to link the information to helping Harry, it would have been too much, he would have been too eager, he would have wanted to be selfish and fulfil his own desires.  He had promised himself, Louis would only intervene if Harry had asked him for help, or he couldn't go on alone.  After all, he was only there for support.  This was Harry's experience.  Who was he to taint it?

"Please?" Harry begged brokenly as he turned his head and whispered into Louis' ear.  "Please Lou? I need you!  I can't do this anymore."

One of Louis' arms was snuggly fitting across Harry's chest, hugging him close, the other stroked his adorable little tummy.  "It's ok," Louis promised, hoping to the death that it would be ok.  "I've got you.  I'll make you feel good darling.  All you need to do is lie there and think about what a good boy you are."

He softly kissed the omegas temple at these words.  He said them both to soothe Harry, and to distract him from being too conscious that his hand caressing Harry's tummy had slid down a few inches and bumped against the head of Harry's leaking length.

Pre-come!  He had Harry's actual pre-come on his hand!  This was actual torture, and it was only going to get much worse.  At the slightest touch, Harry moaned out loud, limply jutted his hips up to nudge his slightly small, yet swollen cock into the palm of Louis' hand, which only made the omega keen harder.  

Louis had never touched another man before.  Not like this.  The only penis he had ever properly got to grips with had been his own.  Harry's did feel good in his hand though.  It was a bit smaller than his own, which felt foreign to him, so the shaping of his fingers around the girth had to be adjusted from what he was used to, but he was certain that Harry wouldn't be this size for very long - especially judging by the size of his hands - Louis predicted that Harry would grow a lot.  And not just the size of his cock.

Harry whined once more, clearly he wasn't opposed to this encounter either.  Even Louis moaned.  Not because he was getting any sexual attention, but because the feeling of Harry's pulsating dick in his hand was mixed with the moans of ecstasy falling from Harry's beautiful, irresistible mouth.  Which if Louis actually let himself think about it, was within kissing distance.  How he wanted to kiss Harry, feel his moans vibrating around the inside of his mouth.  That was most certainly something he had been refusing himself to do for the past few days.  Louis really needed this heat to be over, not just for Harry's benefit, but for his own sanity!

Harry didn't last long once Louis had properly wrapped his fingers around him, giving it a few experimental tugs.  The muscles in Harry's stomach contracted violently as he spurted hotly over Louis' hand and that was the moment the alpha was certain he was experiencing a stroke, felt as though he'd stopped breathing, so focused on the state of his hand that he didn't notice Harry's own reach up and grab at Louis' cheek.  It was like Harry had predicted it would make him weaker.  With a stronger grasp than Louis could have anticipated, Harry dragged his face downwards to where he was desperately craning his neck away from the alpha, just so he could shove Louis' face into the gap between his jaw and collarbone. "Please!" he gasped out brokenly, digging his fingers into the side of the alpha's head with unprecedented force. "Lou, now!"

It was all too clear, Harry had said goodbye to stage three and had dived headfirst into stage four.

Louis' mouth was being pushed so far into Harry's neck that he could feel Harry's pulse throbbing against his lips. All he had to do was open his mouth, sink his teeth into the silky soft skin, and suck. Mark him, claim him, mate him.

Harry could almost scream with frustration.  Why wasn't Louis doing what he needed him to!  

"Louis please!  I need you!  Do it!  Mark me!"

Louis wanted to.  Fuck!  He wanted to so badly, if only to bring this heat to a close.  He was dangerously close to running out of hormone suppressant and his own dick was so painfully full in the confines of his trousers, that he doubted he would be able to stand without falling over face forward!

There was only one thing left to do.  Harry was in stage four, it would be safe now.  What Louis and Harry both needed was the Gremlins to go away!  When did they go?  When they considered the omega had been successfully mated with.  It was time to get out what was in the unmarked bag at the side of the bed.

Or should he?

Louis wasn't ashamed to admit that he had thoroughly researched omega heats ever since he had presented as an alpha and realised that one day there was a chance that Harry could be an omega.  He hadn't been certain, but considering that when he looked into his future, and all he could see was himself and Harry, he got the inkling that something huge was afoot, even if he wasn't entirely sure in what capacity it would be.

There were so many books on the topic, so many articles and blogs online ranging from the cold hard facts to personal experiences.  Louis drank all of them in, passing on what he considered to be important information directly to Harry, and keeping the rest stored both in his mind and on his phone in case he needed to read them again.  He also invested in a thick study guide which was used in courses at universities and had highly acclaimed reviews from students and professors alike.  This had probably been one of the most worthwhile purchases he had ever made.  Louis was positive that he wouldn't have been this well prepared for Harry's first heat without it.  Neither would Harry, especially since a few well-chosen pages might have been photocopied and hidden in the younger boy's school bag.  Needless to say, Biology had been a very strong subject for Harry whilst in school.

One point that had struck a chord within Louis when reading the blogs, were the heartfelt experiences written in sorrow of being mateless whilst in heat, and how difficult it had been for the omegas to have to endure them completely alone.  Louis had wondered briefly if the consequences of the first omegas blog he had read was an isolated case, but the longer he cross referenced, the more certain he was that the main problem solo omegas faced was the transition between stage four and five.  Stage four being where the body and mind were in need of an alpha - and a knot - to achieve the omegas need for conception.  Stage five being where their needs were considered to be met.

The answer to this problem?  Created by an omega, approved by medical professionals and recommended highly by  _The Omega Heat Training Guide_ , Louis had put it straight on the list of essentials he had given to buy.  The one item that Liam had found to be a problem, for obvious reasons.  

It was a handheld knot simulator.  

At first Louis had been dubious.  At first glance, it looked and sounded like a sex toy - and to be fair, it could be used as one.  But the original premise of it was simply an aid to get through a heat to the end without it going on for so long that omegas encountered medical difficulties.  Made from a hypoallergenic material which was very soft to the touch, one size fit all, designed to expand to the individuals requirements.  Hands free for ease of use, temperature activated, a simulated knot would form at the pivotal moment and release a natural and organic hormone in the form of a liquid to fool the Gremlins into thinking the conception had been completed.

Compared to providing his actual knot for Harry to make use of, in Louis' eyes it was the obvious solution.  On paper that is.  In potential practice, Louis was far more opposed than he had previously considered.

Louis didn't think he would ever be jealous of an inanimate object, but now that he was about to use it on Harry he was.  He couldn't get past the whole idea of Harry having experience of a knot... that wasn't his.  He didn't want to insert this into Harry's most intimate area, he didn't want this to be the first thing ever inserted into Harry.  Louis didn't want to watch Harry get off and be pleasured by something that wasn't a part of him.  Harry deserved more than to have his first sexual encounter with a fucking sex toy, which let's be honest, at the core was what it was.  A fucking sex toy for the desperate and lonely omega!  

It was so impersonal.  Harry deserved to be romanced.  He deserved flowers and candlelight.  His first time should consist of soft whispered words of love and affection, gentle caresses and long, deep, passionate kisses.  When it came to that moment in his life, Harry should have full control of his mind and body, tangled by his own choice within an embrace that left him breathless and writhing, wanting someone to be that intimate with him for all the right reasons.  He should get to choose what and who got the privilege of entering him.  Despite Harry's consent, the decision right now was all Louis'.

Using it would be the wrong one.  He couldn't go through with it.  Harry deserved so much better, and one day, Louis would give it all to him.  As long as Harry wanted it.

So what did he do now?  Would plan B actually work?  The reviews hadn't thought much of the second particular item in the bag, but it was either that, the simulator... or his own knot.

 

In his arms Harry was getting antsy.  What was Louis doing?  Why wasn't he spreading Harry out and fucking him?  Why was he wasting time?  Harry needed his knot!  He needed to be filled up, and just fucked hard.  Harry needed a baby inside him!  With a wondrous wave of clarity, Harry decided to seize the moment and take matters into his own hands.  Harry sprung up onto his knees.

"Babe?  What are you doing?" Louis asked in a strangled tone as a very naked Harry straddled his lap, his knees placed on either side of his hips, his torso stretched and towering over him.  He couldn't deny it, everything about Harry's posture was just so beautiful and sensual.  Louis couldn't help himself, his hands automatically gravitated to Harry's hips, massaged his little bit of residue puppy fat, while his pupils dilated considerably when Harry moaned softly and arched his back.  It was so seductive, so sexy, and now one of Louis' favourite parts of Harry was right in front of his face.  It didn't feel wrong, in fact, it almost felt harmless as Louis spanned his fingers as wide as they could go and swept them with a stroke unto his shoulders, then took his time smoothing them down his spine towards the small of his back, loving that with every inch covered, Harry would arch his back some more, and raise a little higher on his knees, until Louis' lips were ghosting over Harry's belly button, and his chin was grazing the tip of Louis' kryptonite.

Harry could see how black Louis' eyes had become.  His plan of seduction was working.  Very slowly, Harry begun to sway his hips, lowering himself until he was sitting right on top of his alpha's bulge and rubbing against in a fashion that made him moan out load... and so did Louis.

"I want you," Harry murmured.  He dropped his voice so it was at his huskiest, breathed heavily into Louis' ear and wrapped his arms around his shoulders, pressed himself so close that the two were pinned together from crotch to chest.  "I need you.  Fill me up Lou.  I want to feel you.  I want to please you, let me satisfy you."

Louis sucked in a large breath as Harry both ground down and nosed against his cheek, traced with the tip of it around and leaned in so close that their lips were only a fraction apart.  He had let it go too far, Louis was now in very dangerous territory, because right now he was completely willing to give Harry anything and everything he asked for.

"On your hands and knees babe," he choked out with difficulty, he moved his head back as far as he could go, just to get away from Harry's lips which were so perfectly pouted, so ready to be moulded around his own.  Unable to resist sliding his hands over Harry's pert little bottom and giving it a little squeeze, his eyes flickered to Harry's.

Deep amongst the green which Louis could easily get lost in, something, that was nothing to do with Harry's actual spirit, gleamed back at him in triumph.

 

The transdermal hormone patch had been easier to apply to Harry's skin that Louis had anticipated.  In fact he didn't even notice, too busy trying to extract Louis from his trousers and boxers to have any idea that something was going on behind his back.  Louis didn't even have the strength anymore to fight him off, letting the younger lad sway upon his lap, press his lips against his neck, mouth words into his ear that the omega probably didn't even understand.  None of this was his Harry.  His Harry was adorable, and clumsy and awkward.  The Harry in his lap was just a massive Gremlin in disguise, suave, sophisticated, overly sexual.  Louis wanted no part in that, it was the only thing that was keeping him in check.  That, and the knowledge that within minutes the hormones within the patch would pass through Harry's skin and into his bloodstream, which would hopefully mean the heat would be over.  

Just as long as the patch worked.  Whereas the training knot delivered both hormones and physical sensation, the patch would only work as intended as long as it remained stuck in the desired spot, and enough of the hormone seeped through the skin.  If all went well, it should have exactly the same result as the knot, the Gremlin's would be convinced by the additional hormones alone that Harry had conceived.  The only part that made it statistically less desirable was that it was the weaker product.  The training knot was designed to work first time, every time.  The patch would only work to it's optimum level if it was properly applied, and didn't fall off.

Louis prayed so hard that it would work without trouble.  He was too emotionally exhausted and disconnected to come up with another plan.  It felt like he was watching himself instead of living in the moment.  Which was good, the friction and the false intimacy was shattering his soul.

In the blink of an eye it was all over.  

Harry rolled instinctively onto his back, as all omegas did once they had been mated with to get into the optimum position for conception, and dragged Louis with him.  Louis hovered over the omega and breathed in the sudden fresh sweetness of scent as his chest heaved.

Harry was glassy eyed, majorly drained of energy, but the look he gazed up at Louis with, was one of pure and utter happiness and joy, which only enhanced the potency of the scent, each time his little smile went up a watt.  Sweet, adorable, clumsy, awkward Harry was back in his world again.

Stage five. Finally, they were at stage five.  They were over the final hurdle.  Harry's first heat was almost over.

"How's my baby?" Louis asked gently, finally able to find his voice, instinctively stroking Harry's dampened hair.  The whole atmosphere in the room had changed, from one of desperation and longing, to something warm and intimate.

"Beautiful," Harry replied, air headed and dazed by the whole experience, looking up at Louis with bright, soft eyes, yet in another world completely.  "Our baby's going to be beautiful Lou."

The weight of the statement sank slowly, yet heavily into Louis' thoughts, confirming that the Gremlins deep inside Harry were finally happy, and considered themselves dominant and victorious.  They believed that Harry had conceived with the strong and mighty alpha.  As far as they were concerned, Harry was in the process of becoming pregnant, and by the sound of it, so did Harry.

Louis watched as Harry's hand slid down to his soft little tummy, gently kneading his fingers against the roll of residual puppy fat that Louis found so adorable on him, then smiled up at him so brightly that it almost blinded Louis after so long in near darkness.  It was so sincere, so welcome, that Louis couldn't help but beam back at him, so caught up in his predictions of what Harry's gremlins were feeling and thinking, that for a moment he almost believed himself that they were now expecting a baby together.

"I'm so happy," Harry was babbling softly as he stroked his tummy with one hand, and took up one of Louis' with the other, pressing its palm fully against his warm skin.  "Can you feel it Lou?  Can you feel it being made?  Because I can!  It's going to be so beautiful Lou!"

His face was glowing. "Come cuddle me," Harry begged, rolled onto his side and reached out to pull Louis closer.  He sounded so young again, looked so sweet, so content, so beautiful to Louis' eyes that Louis took extra care in laying down beside him, not really able to co-ordinate his movements because he didn't want to blink and miss anything.  He felt like he hadn't seen his Harry for a lifetime.

Louis let Harry wriggle into his arms - tummy first - so they were nose to nose.

"Are you happy Lou?"  Harry asked, his smile all dopey and soppy.  "That we're going to be together forever and ever?"

Louis swallowed hard, as much as he knew that these words were just on the back of hormones, it didn't make it any easier hearing the Gremlins hijacking his Harry's voice, taking a real life dream of Louis' and almost cruelly taunting him with it.  Louis didn't realise that in reality, Harry was just voicing his own personal hopes and dreams, convinced that what that patch had made him feel was real.

From Louis' point of view, in the morning, the hormones would have left Harry's system.  These words would mean nothing, in fact, if the instructions were accurate, Harry wouldn't even remember saying any of this at all.  But Louis would never forget.  He would remember and imagine his amazing and beautiful Harry, voicing Louis' own dreams as though they were his own, caressing his tummy, and talking about the baby that Louis so desperately wanted in their future.

Louis knew that this moment would haunt him, from right now, up until the day it was either a reality, or he knew for certain that it was never going to happen.

"I love you Louis," Harry murmured.  He cuddled so close, but made room to squeeze a hand between them so he could stroke his tummy some more.  No doubt, he was still thinking about their pregnancy that hadn't happened.  "I'm so happy.  You are my whole world Louis.  My life began the moment I met you, and we are going to be together always.  I love you with everything I have."

Of course there was no harm in pretending for just a little while, Louis thought and pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead, leaving his lips there for longer than needed, but not enough to satisfy him, and tried to ignore the lone tear that trickled down his cheek.

It wasn't long before Harry fell asleep, but Louis refused to do the same.  The longer he stayed awake, the longer he could still pretend that the words Harry had said aloud were still true.  He thought about them constantly as the hours ticked by, watching his baby sleep.  To anyone else Harry looked a horrid little mess of a boy.  His hair was sweat soaked and greasy, his skin was both shiney from sweat and a blotchy red from his temperature, and a number of spots had broken out across his face from the stress of his first heat.

But Louis saw past all of that.  All he saw when he fluttered soft kisses across his cheeks, gently combed his fingers through Harry's hair and held the young omega close to him, was a boy he was completely and utterly in love with, and was so proud of he felt as though he could burst.  This had been their most difficult and intimate experience together to date, and Louis was positive that it would only strengthen their already solid friendship, and hopefully one day Louis would help Harry though his heat again, only the next time Louis hoped he would be able to properly kiss Harry goodnight.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter eleven!!  
> Just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone for the OVERWHELMING response and support since the last chapter! You are all so kind with your comments, kudos and subscriptions. Thank you so much, it really means so much.  
> Hope you enjoy this chapter xxx

~~~~When Harry awoke, finally free from the clutches of his first heat, he felt different.  Flashes of the previous days fluttered around his mind, glimpses of feelings, sights and emotions, which were all so fleeting, it could have been a dream.

But his body was telling him something completely different.  For example, he felt revolting, and a quick look and a sniff under the covers proved him right - he was absolutely filthy!

With a grimace he pushed his hair out of his eyes and winced at how greasy it felt against his fingers.  The new omega carefully slid out of bed and immediately felt guilty about his best friend who had slept only inches away from him. Who had most probably seen him look and smell so bad, but still fell asleep with him anyway.  Louis was hands down the best friend he had ever had, no-one else could possibly be this understanding!

Creeping to the bathroom, Harry frowned at the large hole of splintered wood by the handle.  Once inside he carefully stood on his tiptoes as he looked around in horror at the state of the once pristine ensuite.

It was foul!  Stuff was all over the floor which he didn't even want to think about what it was, even though he had a pretty good idea, and a horrible flashback reminded him of exactly why his wrist and forearm were so painful.  This was hands down the most embarrassing situation he had ever been in!

Taking a deep breath, Harry shut the door behind him, went to the little cleaning cupboard and got out a bucket and some cloth - maybe if he cleaned up, Louis would forget it had ever happened.

Whilst he filled the bucket with hot soapy water, Harry saw himself in the mirror for the first time and outwardly cringed.  There was no way he was leaving this room until both he and it were looking two thousand times better than they did now.  

Once all he could smell in the now sparkling bathroom was bleach and grapefruit scented cleanser, Harry stepped into the shower, intent on doing the same amount of deep cleansing to himself as he had to the floor, and the walls, and... the ceiling... ugh!

Harry lost track of time as he basked in the warmth of the water, figuring steam cleaning the bathroom wasn't a bad idea.  His skin also needed a boat load of product to clean off the layers of sweat... and other substances.  Then he had to go through the cycle of lather, rinse and repeating about four times before his hair felt back to normal again.  

Looking in the mirror again as he towelled off, Harry examined every inch of him, from his slightly chubby cheeks that revealed how young he still was, to his tiny little torso that still had growing to do.  His spindly legs looked like they belonged to a baby deer.  But the certain something he was looking for, to his disappointment was nowhere to be seen.

To the unknowing eye, Harry was exactly the same boy.  You would have no idea that he was an omega, or that he'd just had his first heat, but inside, he felt like a whole new world had just opened up to him - one he was only too excited to start exploring, even if it hadn't set off on the exact foot that he had secretly hoped it would.

In the bedroom, stacked neatly on the desk, was a pile of clothes with a hastily written note done by Louis' hand.

_Post Heat_

Dressing quickly into the cosy and comfortable jogging bottoms, thick, baggy t-shirt and oversized hoodie, Harry smiled at how considerate Louis was towards him.  He'd purposely picked out clothes to keep him warm and comfortable, and even thought of giving him loose and baggy boxers to wear.  He was feeling a little sore all over, and the thought of wearing anything too tight made him wince.

Carefully, he made his way over to the bed, sat down on the edge and watched his best friend sleep with bright eyes.  

Harry had never felt so grateful to someone in his whole life.  Louis had taken such good care of him.  Which thinking back on what he could recall from his heat must have been very difficult for the alpha, having to go against all of his natural instincts to get Harry though it all as naturally and angst free as possible.  

It made Harry blush with embarrassment to remember exactly how hard he had pleaded with Louis to mark him, begged him for his knot, tried to undress him, aching for him...  Just a memory now.  But at the time, it had felt like he would die if he wasn't possessed by the magnificent alpha that was his best friend, in his mindset, someone he wanted to be his boyfriend, and in the moment, his confirmed soulmate.

Louis was lying on his side, back towards Harry, face buried in the pillow.  The covers had slipped down to his waist, the expanse of his tanned, toned back in full display, and Harry wondered why he had never taken the time to properly appreciate how delicate yet muscular his shoulders were.  How smooth, silky and tanned his skin looked, and why had he never questioned what it would taste like if he ran his tongue up his spine...

"Harry?"

A whisper behind him made him jump and whip around, almost guiltily, to find Liam poking his head around the mostly closed bedroom door, his big brown eyes hesitant as he sized up his little brother in front of him.

Harry averted his eyes, wondering if the thoughts Liam had interrupted were etched all over his face, but quickly dismissed it.  Instead he smiled at the familiar normality of his older brother, and ran at him, pushing him out into the hallway and giving him the biggest hug he could muster - his wrist only preventing him from squeezing him too tightly, it hurt pretty badly.

Liam hugged him back and lifted Harry up with his free arm and hoisted him lovingly into an embrace, then carried him to the living room, where Niall and Zayn sat who both wore surgical masks.  The same type that Louis had attempted to cover his face with during his heat.  Harry presumed it was hormone related, but decided not to draw attention to them by asking.

"He's fine," Liam reported to them, sitting on the settee with Harry perched on his lap. "Heat's over!"

"Thank fuck for that!" Niall exclaimed, and ripped his mask off to chuck it on the floor.  "We have been through hell the last few days!" He got up, a teasing grin on his face as he wagged his finger at Harry, "I had to climb a tree to rescue a pair of your _smalls_ that _you_ chucked out the window!"

Harry's eyes widened in horror at the forgotten memory.

"I'm so sor..."

"Don't give it another thought," Liam assured him.  He paused to glare at Niall.  "I'm sure Lou would say that it's perfectly natural!" 

Harry still felt terrible.  It didn't seem like a natural thing to him.  

"Ready to go have your check-up?" his brother continued.  "Should be done as close to the heat as possible..."

And now he had to be prodded by a doctor.  So far, this heat thing sucked!

"You did well mate," Zayn told him softly, gave his shoulder a supportive little squeeze and indicated to the door.  "I'm gonna check on Lou."

 

Louis' eyes cracked open painfully, feeling a fine spray of cool liquid mist over his face, a welcome refresher to his tight, uncomfortably warm skin.

"Harry?" he whispered, mouth parched, trying hard to gain focus of vision as he groped at the empty space of mattress the younger lad had occupied. "Where are you?"

"Harry's getting ready to go to the doctors for his post first heat check-up," a calm familiar voice told him, lightly scratching their fingers into his hair and against his scalp. "But he's absolutely fine.  Looks a little tired, but he's perfectly happy."

Louis made a dissatisfied sound and peered up through his eyelashes as Zayn's face came into focus.

"Morning."  The lad smiled at him. "You look... erm..." He shrugged, lost for polite words.

"Dead?" Louis offered.  He felt terrible.  So tired, each of his limbs weighed down heavily against the mattress.  "Like I've been shot in the face?"

"You've looked better," Zayn commented, trying to be kind. "You just need some sleep mate.  It's been a long week for you."

"I need to go with Harry," Louis mumbled.  "My responsibility..."  He tried to get up, but Zayn reached out and pushed him back against the pillows easily.  Louis had very little strength right now.

"Oh no, you need to sleep," Zayn countered. "I promise, Harry is going to be fine.  It's just going to be the doctor telling him that, putting it on his records and then we'll bring him straight home."

"But I promised I would be there for him through the whole thing."

The guilt and responsibility was clear in Louis' bleary eyes, while he struggled again to get up.  

"Lou, you have gone above and beyond your duty as Harry's best friend.  You've had a horrific few days - and you know that.  I could never have done what you did, and neither could Niall.  Set a non-related omega in front of Liam and he'd be a complete mess!  We wouldn't have had the strength to fight our instincts like you have... or I think you have."

"I didn't mark him, I didn't mate with him," Louis muttered sleepily, "even when he shoved my face into his neck, and fucking begged me.  So.  Fucking.  Hard."

"Damn," Zayn muttered with a roll of his eyes, "now I owe Niall fifty quid!"

Louis' eyes cracked open with a glare.  Those boys and their bets!

"Want to see him before he goes," Louis demanded through his exhaustion. "Go get him."

It was Louis giving in.  Something he didn't often do, but it made Zayn ruffle Louis' hair in a bro-like fashion, and go and fetch his metaphorical missing arm.

The bed sank a little, hair tickled his nose, and Louis stretched out his arms to cuddle his boy into him.

"Hey love," he whispered as he snuggled into the softness of Harry and rubbed his forehead against the sweet smelling fabric of his hoodie. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," Harry whispered back.  He burrowed himself closer, let his hands wander over Louis' bare back as he tangled their legs together. "Tired though."

It felt so wonderfully intimate, warm and loving.  It felt like they were in a relationship.  It felt like love.  It was love.

"Me too," Louis commented, not bothering to open his eyes.  He could smell Harry well enough to know that the lad was perfectly happy and healthy. "We should snuggle here all day until it's time for food, then bring it to bed and snuggle more."

Harry hummed contentedly at the suggestion and rearranged himself so that their noses almost brushed together.  He loved being so close to Louis like this, loved how Louis' fingertips were caressing his shoulder blades through his top, loved how comfortable and relaxed he felt.

"I've got to go the doctors now though."

Louis could feel the breath from Harry's words puff softly against his own lips.

"Want me to come..."

He cracked his eyes open, peered almost cross eyed at Harry's close proximity.

"I think you should stay here," Harry shifted again, and started to play with Louis' fringe. "You look..."

"Wankered?" 

Harry giggled at Louis' swearing, but pursed his lips concerned as he looked at Louis' face properly.  He looked more than tired, as the mauve on the delicate skin under his lower lashes proved, the rest of his face unusually pale, lips dry and a little chapped where they were at their fullest.

But then he looked further, picking up things that he hadn't thought about before.  There was a thick stubble coating his jaw, upper lip, cheeks and neck - meaning he hadn't shaved in a few days.  His hair was knotty and unkempt and he was shivering a little bit, even if the covers were wrapped up around him.

And yet, Harry still thought he was the most beautiful man he had ever laid eyes upon.  Another thing he hadn't thought about enough to appreciate properly.  He would now though.  After what they had just been through together, Harry would appreciate everything all the more every single day.

"Sleep," he whispered, then leaned closer, pressed his lips against Louis' warm cheek and kept them there for a few seconds longer than usual. "Thank you so much for what you did for me, I couldn't have done that without you there to look after me."

"You would have been fine," Louis mumbled with false modesty and smiled with warmth at the feel of the kiss upon his cheek. "I was just here."

A knock on the door told Harry it was time for him to leave.

"I will never forget this Lou," he whispered quietly and kissed the older lad's cheek once again, the slight prickle against his lips not at all unappealing. "I love you."

Louis squeezed Harry tightly, opened his aching eyes, and gazed into the beautiful green ones that he knew the sight of better than his own. "I love you too, with all my heart."

Harry beamed at him, then rolled out of bed, stretching.  He had almost leant in and kissed Louis.  That was something that hadn't changed after his heat.  If anything it was not just Louis' heart and soul that he was attracted to, it had now turned physical.  How had he never properly noticed how rugged and handsome Louis was?

"Want me to bring you some food back?" he asked, because he predicted that the lad would be ravenous by the time he got home.

Louis nodded lazily, grinned up at his boy and stretched his arms above his head.  He didn't notice Harry's eyes linger on his flexing muscles.

"You know me well love.  Get me an extra-large of whatever you're getting."

Harry nodded brightly and left Louis to get some rest.  He hoped he would be alright.  If not, then Harry would look after the alpha, just like Louis had looked after him.

 

Whilst Liam and Niall took Harry for his check-up, Zayn decided to stay behind and keep a quiet eye on Louis.  He knew that the older alpha would be all right, he was just concerned that at some point, Louis would want to talk to someone, and to be honest, Zayn had some questions of his own that he wanted to ask.

The opportunity came about two hours later, when Louis finally emerged from the bedroom.  He stumbled into the living room and collapsed on the settee next to where Zayn was already comfortable with his sketch pad on his lap as he half watched a re-run of Harvey Birdman.

"Alright?" he asked in his usual distracted tone and concentrated on shading a particular part of his picture.

Louis nodded tiredly.  Even though he had slept remarkably well during the past couple hours, he wouldn't completely feel at ease until Harry was back and it had been officially confirmed that he was in the same perfectly healthy condition as he had been before his heat.  He may have been satisfied earlier, but he did need an official confirmation.

"Weird isn't it," Zayn commented. "Seeing our boy grow up so suddenly like that."

Louis' forehead creased into a frown.

"I mean," Zayn continued, his dark eyes flitting up from the paper for a split second to catch Louis' wary expression. "Things are going to change.  Harry's going to start noticing alphas, probably find one, move on from us, get married, start a family..."

Zayn paused.  He pretended he couldn't see how closed off Louis' face had become, mouth tight and tense, jaw clenched.

"You make it sound like he's getting married tomorrow, and we'll never see him again."

The desired effect was to sound casual, but the result couldn't be further away to Zayn's ears.

"You've never thought about it?" He asked, biting the end of his pencil and sounding surprised.  "Harry's an amazing lad Lou.  He's going to meet someone.  He won't want to be hanging out with us anymore.  He'll be starting his family."

"Harry won't forget about me," Louis stated stubbornly.  "We've been best mates from day one.  You don't just leave that behind.  Even if he does... meet... someone..." 

The words seemed to stick in his throat.

"Thing is," Zayn was slowly starting to circle closer and closer to his point.  "I can't see anyone being more perfect a mate for Harry, than..." he caught Louis' eye and fought to hold his attention, "well... you Lou."

Louis shifted in his seat and turned his whole body to face his friend, completely invested in the conversation, but he stayed quiet.

"I thought you were going to claim him for yourself," Zayn continued, while watching Louis for reactions intently.  His own expression verging on shrewd.  "I thought you would have marked him.  I'm sure he asked for it.  That's what omegas do right?  They beg to be taken.  You even said that he did.  So why didn't you?"

"Marking someone isn't something that should be done on a whim," Louis reminded him hollowly, as though he was quoting out of his beloved manual.  "It needs to be given conscious thought, not decided at a time when you haven't got proper control over your mind and body.  Harry begged me, but I wasn't going to take away his choice like that, I want what's best for Harry.  I respect him, and his right to choose."

"You really think someone out there is better for him than you?" Zayn asked, carefully choosing a different pencil with a lighter lead.  "Someone who will be more in tune with his feelings and emotions than you are?  Someone who he will have a deeper connection with?"

Louis said nothing.  There was no such someone.

"Someone who put their own needs aside to help him through the most emotionally confusing, significant time of his life?" Zayn pushed harder, sticking the tip of his tongue through his lips as he concentrated, "Someone apart from you who cared enough about his happiness to give him a choice, when the right choice was beside him the whole time?"

"That's for Harry to decide mate," Louis said finally.  "He's still just a kid.  He doesn't need to be deciding his life plans yet.  He'll be starting college soon, and then going to university.  That's what he needs to concentrate on.  He doesn't need the complications of a mate this early in his life.  All he needs to know is that I'm going to be there for him, for every exam, every application, every heat."

"How very selfless.  And what about when you find a mate?  What will Harry do then?"

"Who says I'm looking for a mate?" Louis asked, a little sharper than intended and glared at his friend.

Zayn looked up, caught a hold of himself from saying anything more and instead reached to the coffee table where his packet of cigarettes sat with a lighter.

"Let's regroup over a cig yeah?" he said and offered the pack to his former smoking buddy.

Louis eyed the pack.  It was tempting.  There had been a time in his life where he hadn't been able to make it through a couple of hours without lighting up.  But then something had happened, and he had made a promise to a very special person that he would never put a filter to his lips ever again.

"Better not mate, Harry hates it," he dismissed the offer with a wave of his hand.

"I won't tell him," Zayn wheedled.  He took a long cigarette out of the pack and held it out for Louis to take.  He knew how the nicotine calmed the lad.

Louis shook his head and smiled faintly.  "I'd tell him," he confessed. "Can't keep anything from that curly haired little monster.  Even if he had no idea, the thought of lying to him just isn't something that sits right with me.  I made a promise and I'm gonna stick to it."

Zayn nodded, understanding.

"You still think there is someone more compatible out there for Harry?" He asked slyly, "Or you want to play this denial game a little bit longer?"

Louis settled back against the cushions.

"I don't," he answered simply.  "I never have done.  I never will.  But I want him to realise that on his own.  Until then, I'll be there, and if he decides otherwise, I'll accept it.  It's Harry's choice."

With those words, he got up, exited the room and left Zayn with a thoughtful expression as he lit up.

"Then I hope he makes the right choice," he muttered to an empty room.

 

"What the fuck is that?!" Louis exclaimed and rushed towards Harry who had just trailed into the flat after Liam and Niall who were carrying several huge bags between them, "What did you do?!"

Harry's arm was in a sling, only his fingers poked out of a thickly wrapped bandage - which Louis stared at in horror.

"Harry strained his wrist!" Niall sang out from the living room, which made Harry redden with embarrassment.  "By _buffing his banana!_ " 

Louis cocked an eyebrow as the sound of a high five reached his ears.

"Where's Hazza?" called out Zayn.  "Got a hug with your name on it here mate!"

Harry, who had been cringing and staring at his trainers, perked up a little at the call.  He let Louis take his healthy hand and together they joined the others.

"Aww Haz," Zayn cooed and approached him with wide and open arms, "that looks sore, you ok mate?"

"Zay, he was only _cuffing his carrot_!" Niall insisted jovially from where he was setting out Nando's take away containers, and seemed set on trying to name as many slang terms for masturbation as he could remember, " _flogging his frog, pumping his python_!"

"Niall..." Liam warned, wagging his finger daddy style when he saw how humiliated Harry was, who sat between Louis and Zayn and tried to make himself look as small as possible, "that's enough."

"Aww Harry!  I'm sorry!" Niall exclaimed thickly through a mouthful of chicken wing and dived on top of Zayn to give the younger lad a big hug, careful to avoid his sling and not hurt his arm more.  "Did you _pounder_ _your_ _flounder_?" he whispered in his ear, then kissed the lad with a greasy mouth when Harry let out a little giggle.  Niall wasn't trying to be mean, he was just being overly cheeky to try and make light of the situation.  Harry knew that.  This was just... embarrassing.

"You'll be fine," Louis promised him.  He wiped the greasy mark Niall had left on his cheek away with his sleeve.  "Just means that I get to fuss over you as long as it takes for it to heal!"

Harry's lips fell into a pout, and he looked so sad, so unhappy that Louis' heart began to pound, and he urgently attempted to sniff out an emotion that would tell him what was bothering the sad omega.

"What's wrong?  Is there something else?  You are ok aren't you?" Louis looked accusingly at both Liam and Niall, who both looked puzzled.  Harry insisted that they come and see the doctor with him, so they knew he was fine - just a strained wrist and forearm caused by his OCM.  His blood pressure had been fine, his heart rate had been normal, his vital signs had been responsive.  

In short, Harry had been confirmed happy and healthy, and had left the surgery about half an hour after his appointment had started while clutching one prescription for contraceptive tablets, and another one for a mild pain relief for his arm.

"Harry?" Louis demanded and slid off the settee onto his knees at Harry's feet.  "Talk to me!"

It suddenly dawned on Harry that all eyes were upon him.  All the boys looked concerned, but especially Louis, who grasped at his good hand, and bounced on the balls of his feet.  Louis was poised to leap into action and scoop his boy up into his arms, just in case he needed to spirit Harry away somewhere in a hurry.

"Erm... I'm hungry?" Harry offered in a small voice and immediately felt stupid and guilty for his ill timing of a joke.  "I was hinting for you to get me some food."

"Prat!" chuckled Zayn, rolled his eyes and batted his head playfully.  "What you gonna do next? Whimper for desert?"

"Nah, he's gonna _spank his monkey!_ " Niall laughed, but he was quick to defend himself when he saw the disapproving looks from Liam, "Hey!  That was his punishment for worrying Lou!"

Louis however, was so relieved that Harry was actually ok, all he did was gingerly pick up his poorly arm, gently kiss his exposed fingers and leapt to pile a plate full of all of Harry's favourite foods - there was nothing more satisfying than catering for his every need.

 

The best thing about takeaway food was that there was minimal washing up involved.  Louis was in the middle of the laborious task of washing up a few items of cutlery when an arm snuck around his middle and he felt curls tickle the back of his neck.

"How's my baby?" he asked as he turned around and tried not to knock Harry's injured arm.  "Feel ok?"

Harry nodded and moved closer.  He felt fine, maybe a little clingy and in the need of cuddles.

"Tired," he admitted with a yawn.  "I could sleep for a week!  Can we go to bed early?  Like now?  I brought some books with me that we could read to each other.  We could listen to music, or we could just talk?"

Louis raised his eyes.  "Have you a topic in mind?" he asked and slipped his hands underneath the back of Harry's top.

Harry shook his head so his hair bounced.  "Nah, I've just missed you.  Feel like we haven't had any quality time together."

Louis chuckled in spite of himself.  "Babe, we've had nothing but time together for days!"

Harry stuck his nose in the air.  "I said  _quality_ time!"  He sounded a bit huffy.  "You know, normal Larry time!"

Louis knew exactly what he meant.  

"What books did you bring?" he asked kindly.  Reading wasn't exactly one of his favourite recreational activities, but he knew Harry had always enjoyed a good book to unwind with.  It probably originated from their childhood where Louis had managed to bag them an extra half an hour together by pretending he wanted to read Harry a bedtime story.  To make it seem real to Anne's listening ears, Louis had read to him every night, and after a while the habit stuck.  Nowadays it was something Harry always reverted back to, his way of telling the older alpha that he required cuddles and comfort.  Louis thought it was sweet.

 

"Er... am I interrupting something?" Niall asked as he strutted into the kitchen, in search of a snack.

Both Harry and Louis shared equally confused glances until they both realised at the same time that Louis' fingers had slid down past the waistband of Harry's jeans, both of his hands comfortably cupping his cheeks beneath his boxer briefs.  Harry hadn't realised, and neither had Louis.  It had just happened.

"Seriously?" Niall asked with astonishment when Louis didn't remove his hands, even though Harry blushed and hid his face by  his forehead upon Louis' collarbone.  "You don't see how weird this looks?  Mate, you are groping in the kitchen!"

Louis rolled his eyes and made a show of removing his hands, holding them up in surrender.

"Get a girlfriend buddy," he told his friend with a sympathetic pat on the back, as he passed and walked towards the door, Harry's hand clasped in his.  "Direct your own sexual frustration somewhere else."

"I still think it's weird!" Niall called out after them.

 

Whilst Harry changed the bedsheets, Louis finally took a shower and contemplated shaving.

"I look like a yeti!" he exclaimed as he peered at his facial hair from all angles.  "It's actually curling in places!"

"Don't shave it all off!" Harry exclaimed and stumbled into the bathroom to perch on the edge of the sink to watch.  He found Louis fascinating to watch when he shaved.  He looked so grown up and masculine, and he made the funniest faces in the mirror!

"Just make it a bit shorter, get rid of the neck stuff, and do that thing on your chin," Harry suggested helpfully, swinging his feet back and forth.  "Like how you wore it to the Brit Awards."

"You've always hated my scruff," Louis commented easily, but he took Harry's advice and set his razor to the appropriate grade.  "You said it made me look like a dad!" he smirked.  "Or have you developed a daddy kink overnight?" 

The words had slipped out of his mouth too quickly, but with a careful look in Harry's direction made him realise he wasn't paying much attention anyway.  It was strange that the thought of Harry having that kind of kink wasn't entirely unappealing, but maybe that said more about Louis than it did about Harry!

Harry wandered off whilst Louis was shaving.  Liam had been taking care of Hughie and Larry the last few days, and he wanted to see for himself that they were being looked after properly.  He needn't have worried though, their little home looked pristine, and by the look of it they were both snuggled together in their little house.  Just like himself and Louis would be in a few minutes time.

When Harry got back to their room, Louis was sprawled out on the bed flicking through channels on the TV.

"I hate to ask love, but have you called your mum to give her the good news?" Louis asked as he chose a comedy panel show to watch.  

"Yeah, after I got the all clear from the doctor," Harry confirmed.  He looked very pleased with himself.  "She was really excited for me.  She wants to take everyone out to dinner as soon as you and Liam are free.  You know, to celebrate."

"Damn right!" Louis nodded enthusiastically and scooched over so that Harry could properly get comfortable.  He was already scheming away at how extra special he could make the occasion.  What would be appropriate for a newly presented omega?  When he had presented as an alpha he'd been given a watch.  "We could go to that new Italian.  You really deserve to do something special, it's a life changing moment!"

"I guess," Harry shrugged, but when he bit on his lower lip he wasn't able to hide his smile.  His expression turned thoughtful.  "I'm not too keen on the heats though.  From what I can remember, not much fun.  I don't know how you slept in the same bed as me last night, I was disgusting!"

"Don't know what you're on about," Louis shot back straight away.  "I've never seen you look disgusting.  You looked nothing but gorgeous when I fell asleep."

The glance Harry threw Louis was withering at best.  His eyes almost lost in his curls.  "Lou, I woke up covered in  _stuff_ and my hair was almost crawling off my head!  I smelt foul!"

"You smelled like you'd been in heat love, there's a difference," Louis told him kindly.  "I'm guessing you expected it to go differently?"

Harry nodded.  He tried to get comfortable, but his sling was in the way.  He couldn't mould himself into Louis' side like he wanted.  Just thinking about his heat was making him feel vulnerable.

Immediately Louis seemed to realise, spread his legs into a V shape and patted the space between them, inviting him to sit there instead.  It was much more comfortable.  Louis wrapped his arms around Harry's chest and guided his head to rest on his shoulder.

It was a flashback to both of them of yesterday to once again be in this position, only under completely different circumstances.  Harry felt flustered and quite relieved that Louis couldn't see his face.

"What was it like from your perspective?" Harry asked as he wished his cheeks would stop burning.  "Compared to a rut?"

Louis' arms tightened around Harry's chest and he cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"It was different," he said honestly.  Now he really needed his mouth filter to be fully functional.

"In what way?" Harry questioned, genuinely interested.  

Louis kissed Harry's temple.  "It was harder," he admitted quietly.  "When I'm in rut, the only concern I have is for myself.  It's all about my needs.  With your heat, my priority was with you.  It was harder than I expected.  You on the other hand, did amazingly well.  I'm so proud of you babe."

"Don't talk in riddles Lou," Harry complained, unsatisfied with his response.  "You always do this.  Turn your mouth filter off!"

Louis deadpanned to the ceiling.  Trust Harry catch him out when he had been all set to be evasive.

"You have questions," he said instead, intent on encouraging the young omega to voice his thoughts.  Questions were healthy and very natural in this situation.  Harry deserved honesty now more than ever.

"I'm glad you brought this up," Harry told him with an air of relief, then flailed as he tried to sit up with the use of only one arm.  Louis helped ease his predicament by sitting up himself in order to use his chest to push Harry upwards.

"So what do you want to ask?" Louis asked as he began to play with Harry's fingers.  The young omega sat cross legged in front of him, his one free hand resting on his thigh.

"I need you to be honest with me," Harry warned with a serious expression.  "Even if you don't think I'm going to like your answer."

Louis nodded.  "I solemnly swear."

"Why didn't you want me?" Harry burst out in a rush, his chin quivered at his bravery.

Louis was taken aback.  He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but it hasn't been something as direct as that.

"What do you mean?" Louis asked.  He sat up and gripped at Harry's hand a little tighter.

"You didn't mate with me," Harry elaborated in a small voice.  "I know you didn't.  You didn't want to mark me, and if I remember correctly, you didn't even want to look at me half the time.  Why not?  Am I that disgusting?  Was I not _omega_ enough for you?  What's wrong with me?"

Louis felt dizzy.  That was a lot of hard hitting questions in quick succession.  It didn't help that he could see Harry shrinking unhappily before his eyes.  It didn't help that he could smell a heavy rainfall.

"The fact that I didn't mate with you or mark you has nothing to do with _want_ Haz," Louis tried to reassure.  "It was the right thing for me to do.  It wasn't what was right for you.  I was just there to support you.  As for not looking at you, I couldn't keep my eyes off you!  That was the problem!  Fuck... Harry..." Louis cradled his own face in his hands.  He was already developing a headache.  "If you had any idea how hard it was for me to keep my hands off you, you wouldn't be asking any of that.  The whole thing was torture from start to finish!"

"Then why didn't you just... do it?" Harry demanded.  "Instead of letting me humiliate myself over and over?  You've been with loads of other girls and omegas, what's so bad about me?"

Louis' mouth opened and closed.  He had not expected this kind of reaction.  This was not what he wanted in the slightest.

"Because I didn't want to think with _this._.." Louis grabbed at his dick through his trousers and shook it hard.  "And I wasn't in the right mind to think with _this_..." he tapped his head.  "I was using every bit of energy to handle the situation with _this_..." Finally Louis slapped the palm of his hand to his chest, directly over his heart.  "I have nothing but respect for you and your choices," he explained as he tried to soften his voice.  He wanted to calm the unhappy omega in front of him.  He wanted his best friend to understand and believe what he was trying to say.  "I love you a lot Harry, can't you tell?  I had to fight every one of my natural instincts, fight against everything that I'm programmed to do, just to keep my promise to you."

"Promise?" Harry asked suspiciously.

Louis took a deep breath.  "That you would come out of this unmarked, unmated, still a virgin," he told Harry carefully as he reached out to smooth the younger lad's curls.  "It would have been wrong of me to do any of that during your first heat.  I'm not an animal Harry, I'm not a slave to the aspects of being an alpha.  During the last few days I was at my weakest.  I admit it, if you had any idea what depraved thoughts were going through my mind, you wouldn't want to speak to me again!  All that kept me going, the only thing that kept me strong enough to resist, was my love for you.  Not only are you my best friend, but you are the person I care most about in the whole world.  Your happiness is my priority, my own needs pale in comparison.  Do you understand that?"

The sudden change of mood in Harry made Louis' nose sting at the sudden sweetness.

"I don't know what to say," Harry admitted.  "This whole alpha/omega thing is a lot more complicated than I thought isn't it?"

Louis frowned and traced his index finger from the outer corner of Harry's outer eye, down his cheek towards his chin.

"I wasn't trying to humiliate you.  I wasn't rejecting you.  I was trying to prove how important to me you really are.  Your friendship is so sacred to me.  Before your heat properly started, you trusted me to protect your mind and your body.  Whilst you were in the darkest depths of your heat you trusted me to _touch_ you to help you through it.  The last thing I wanted to do was betray that trust Harry.  The last thing I wanted was to betray _you_!"

Harry didn't say a word until he had wriggled forward and climbed awkwardly onto Louis' lap, who smoothed his hands up and down his back.  It comforted both of them.

"We really are the closest of friends aren't we?" Harry asked with a murmur into Louis' neck.  "I didn't think we could get closer than we already are... well I hope... maybe one day... we could... be more than..." Harry didn't trust himself to finish his sentence.

With one hand, Louis coaxed the young omega's head backwards, his big blue eyes searching for Harry's beautiful green ones. "I know exactly what you mean babe," he told him gently.  "One day I hope that too. But right now is not the time to explore that when you've got so much to figure out.  When you do, I'll still be here, and I'm still going to feel the same.  Trust me, I'm not going anywhere."

"Do you think all alpha/omega friends are like us?" Harry questioned with a small smile.  "Do you think others would have done what you did for me?" 

Louis grinned and scoffed. "No!" he shook his head so that his fringe scattered over his forehead.  "But it's something that _we_ do.  Every heat..." he patted his chest.  "I will be there, just like this last one."

Harry wrinkled his nose.

"That's a relief!" he stated.  "I was worried you and the others were going to take turns!"

Louis' expression was absolutely aghast at the suggestion.  The thought of another alpha being in such an intimate encounter with Harry evoked nausea almost immediately.  The idea of another alpha with their hands upon Harry's writhing, naked body turned his nerve ends raw.

"Absolutely not!" he exclaimed and leapt to his feet with a growl, the irises of his eyes darkening as though a storm cloud was rolling in.  "Don't even joke about spending your heat with another alpha!  I will fucking break the door down and carry you off kicking and screaming if I have to!  I'll tear the fucking alpha limb from limb... even if it's Niall!" he finished, his expression mutinous, flexing the tendons in his hands, his jaw set.

Instead of being frightened by how murderous his best friend was acting, Harry could only stare at him, a surge of love warming his veins and erupting right in the centre of his heart.

"You love me," he stated simply.  It was the closest sign that Louis, although he hadn't marked him officially, had indeed declared ownership over Harry.  And all at once all his feelings of worry and insecurity were put to rest.  Louis loved him.  Louis wanted him.  One day...

"I do," Louis answered simply without argument.  He sat back down on the bed with his arms open.  Harry resumed his place between Louis' open legs.

"Hey Lou?" he asked lightly and reached back with his one good hand to stroke Louis' cheek.  He enjoyed the feel of the stubble against his palm.  "This complex you've got about being the right time.  Get over it would you?"

Louis fingered the paper aeroplane pendent which hung around Harry's neck.  Back where it belonged.  "Just waiting for you to get your shit together babe," Louis retorted and smacked a kiss upon the top of Harry's head.

"Hey Lou?"

"Yes babe?"

"Are you going to help any other omega through their heats?"

"No," Louis promised truthfully.  "I have no intention of that.  Just you."

"Hey Lou?" Harry grinned to himself.  "I love you." Finally he felt at peace.

Behind him Louis gave him a little squeeze.  "I love you too Haz." 

"Would you love me if I was a beta?  Or is it just because I could give you babies one day?"

"You thought you were pregnant at the end of the heat." Louis commented, although he had intended on keeping that titbit of information a secret.  "You liked the idea of us having a pup, so did I.  But I would love you just as much if you couldn't have children.  It's you that I'm into, and all the little things that make you Harry."

"Is this weird?" Harry mused.  "That we're just talking about this so openly?"

"No," Louis dismissed with a wave of his hand.  "It means we trust each other with our feelings.  It's a good foundation to build upon."

They lapsed into quiet.  

"I'm kind of jealous of you," Louis admitted suddenly.  "You have so much to look forward to in the next few months.  We've got the whole summer to mess about together, you'll be starting college, finding out who and what you want to be.  I can't wait to watch you experience it all."

"Maybe one day you could experience my first relationship with me," Harry commented and reached for the nearest book to hand to the older lad. 

Louis didn't reply, but took the book in one hand and began to read out loud.  He didn't need to respond to that one.  He knew by how Harry was nuzzling into his neck that the omega already knew the answer, and was happy with it.  After all, some things were worth waiting for.

 

Elsewhere in the flat Niall and Zayn were sitting across from each other on the living room settee, a pad of paper between them.

"I swear, Louis had his hands down Harry's pants!" Niall was whispering excitedly.  "He was full on groping his arse and Harry was just dreamy and doe eyed!  Something is going on between them!"

"Well duh, Louis is in love with Harry," Zayn added with a smirk.  "You should have seen his face when I suggested that Harry might marry another alpha.  He's all in.  It's all down to Haz to make up his mind now."

"Ok.  So what do we bet on?" Niall asked as he spun a pen between his fingers.  "Time frame?  Who makes the first move?"

Zayn stared into the air thoughtfully.  "When was Louis' last rut?" 

Niall frowned.  "Is that important?"

Zayn nodded emphatically.  "Fuck yeah bro!  Think about it, Harry's an omega now, he's emotionally connected to Louis because they shared his first heat together.  How impressed do you think he's going to be when Lou swans off and spends his rut with another omega.  He's going to be too cautious of Haz's wellbeing to let him be involved.  He's gonna bounce back to Eleanor for that little event, like every other time."

Zayn let his words hang in the air and sink in to Niall's head.  It was common knowledge between the two of them that Harry was not impressed by the beautiful omega female.  Less so when he discovered via a One Direction update account on Twitter that his best friend had seen her exactly the same time in March that his rut had coincided with.  He had been stroppy for days, even towards Louis, although he had never explained why.

"Harry's going to be jealous as fuck!" Niall exclaimed gleefully.  "Ok, so ruts are roughly every five months.  His last one was in March, so his next one will be in August..." 

He slapped his hand on the notebook.

"I bet July.  It's summer, it's going to be hot, Louis' going to be strutting around half naked... Harry's going to be horny and shit... they're going to be getting it on long before Lou's rut!  If only just to prevent Lou from penetrating Eleanor's _Bermuda_ _Triangle_!"

"We're betting on them fucking?" Zayn questioned.  "I thought we were talking about them getting into a relationship?"

Niall laughed out loud.

"No mate, Larry sex! But if you are so certain, I'm gonna bet... end of July for the sex, and erm... end of August for the relationship.  Lou's gonna want to tie that little stud down before he starts college and someone else has the opportunity to get a look in.  So, August for the marking too."

He scribbled his choices under his name on the pad and handed it to Zayn.  

"Your turn.  No copying me mind."

"I think they'll get into a relationship first," Zayn told him thoughtfully.  "But I think Louis' gonna want Harry to experience college first.  So October for the relationship," he did some quick calculating in his head, "which will be in time for Harry's heat in November, hence a week of sex and that elusive mark at the same time."

Niall frowned.  Zayn's predictions were a little too well thought out for his liking, and when explained seemed more plausible.

"What about Lou's rut?" he asked Zayn.  "What about Eleanor?  By your theory it's gonna clash.  My theory obliterates that completely."

Zayn gave Niall a shrewd but knowing eye roll.

"That's when the spark gets ignited," he said with a wink.  "Man, are we going to see some fireworks when that kicks off!"

"What's kicking off?" Liam asked as he joined them.  "I was only at the gym for a couple of hours."

The older alpha sank down into an arm chair and swung his legs up onto the coffee table.

"We were just debating how Harry's going to handle Louis' rut," Niall started to explain.  "And..."

"Excuse me?" Liam asked his eyes narrowing.  "What are you talking about?  Harry won't be able to cope with a rut!  Has Louis actually stated this?  Do I have to have words with him?"

Niall and Zayn exchanged nervous glances.  Zayn shoved the notepad underneath him so he was sitting on top of it.  He doubted Liam would take very well to their new bets.

"Well..." Niall began awkwardly.  "We were thinking of when Harry and Louis were going to get together.  And we were hoping it was before Louis' rut so he didn't have to suffer it with Eleanor..."

He stopped as Liam threw his head back, full on laughing at what he had heard.  

"That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!" he howled, almost in tears.  "Come on lads, Harry and Louis are just really good friends!  That's all!  There's nothing romantic going to be happening there!  Do you think I would seriously consider my _baby_ _brother_ sharing his heat with someone who wanted in his pants?  Come on lads!  I let him look after Harry because of how good their friendship is.  I knew Louis would look after him... in a strictly platonic way!  Lou's not interested in Harry like that!"

"Then how come I walked in on..." Niall began, but Zayn slapped his hand across the Irish alpha's mouth, effectively silencing him.

"Walked in on what?" Liam asked and clapped his hands together with a mocking smile.  "Were they _hugging_?  Holding _hands_?   _Feeding_ each other?  Because they do that kind of thing all the time!"

Liam stood and stretched.  "I'm gonna go shower.  Can't wait to hear what other theories you two come up with.  The weekly gossip magazines would have a field day if they knew what you were thinking!" 

With a shake of his head and another snort of laugher, Liam strolled off to cleanse himself from gym sweat.

Niall and Zayn exchanged glances and snorted with laugher themselves.

"And the award for _most_ _oblivious_ goes to..." Zayn muttered with a smirk.  "Wow... he is so anti!"

"There are two types of people in this world," Niall stated seriously.  "There are Antis and Larries."

He held out his hand for Zayn to give him a low five.

"Larry for life?" he asked with an easy smile.  

"Larry for life!" Zayn confirmed and slapped his hand.

"You know," Niall pondered to himself, "if things don't get moving, I might start a Twitter account.  Or a Tumblr.  See what the masses think."

"I think that's going a bit far," Zayn told him gently.  "Might be a bit meddlesome!"

Niall however looked far too excited.  "But there could be others!" he babbled.  "Think of it, other Larries!  They probably don't even have a team name yet!  I want to be..." he paused, then clicked his fingers in triumph and almost fell off the settee.  "I could be Captain Niall, leader of the Larries!"

"Let's just see what happens," Zayn drawled.  But he watched as Niall grabbed his phone and started doing his _research_ on Twitter.

He was rather intrigued himself about how things were going to work out.  And not just because he had a shit load of money riding upon it!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just incase anyone is interested:  
> Tumblr: angelsgrace1D.tumblr.com  
> Twitter: @sharemysunshine


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter twelve (finally)  
> Thank you so much for the overwhelming response to the last chapter. You have all been so kind in your comments and kudos and let me assure you, each one is very gratefully received.  
> I'm sorry it has been such a long wait. I've had to concentrate on coursework lately, but the good news is that it's nearly finished and then I can write a lot more frequently.  
> I really hope you enjoy this chapter.  
> Lots of love xx

In one word Harry's summer so far had been glorious.  It really had been all he had had wished it would be, and so much more, truly surpassing even his high expectations.

Long mornings were spent at the studio, where Harry watched Louis and the lads write and record for their next album.  Hot and sunny afternoons on the local beach, where they lazed upon the sand, kicked a ball around and splashed about in the surf.  Late nights holed up in their rented flat to watch films, mess about on the Xbox and talk about everything and nothing to their heart's content.

Every night Harry fell asleep wrapped in Louis' arms, peaceful and happy.  He couldn't help but think of these past few weeks had been a taster for when he was able to go on tour with them full time.  A dream which he let himself indulge in over and over again.  It seemed impossible to believe that it was so close to becoming a reality.  Harry's life was practically perfect.

 

Although Niall could be a little too hyper at times, Zayn could take things a little too seriously, and Liam talked way too much when it was Harry's preferred 'quiet time', Louis was the only one who Harry never tired of.  

No matter how much time they spent in each other's company, they never ran out of conversation or activities they wanted to do together.  Every now and then it would make Harry smile when he thought of the future.  The promise of a closer relationship, a stronger bond, a deeper, a more intimate understanding between the two of them.  It gave him tingles he was so excited!

 

Whilst they stayed in a seaside town, the fresh air had done wonders for Harry.  It filled his lungs, oxygenised his brain and energised his body.  

Harry had always been fairly active, but after spending almost every other day running about on the beach it had done wonders for his physique.

Harry could never have been considered chubby, although he had always been a little bit chunkier than Louis, who had always been lean.  But the puppy fat Harry had once carried, pretty much melted away over the summer, only enhanced by how he had grown an extra inch since he had turned sixteen.  

At first Harry hadn't really noticed that his body had changed, but - ever observant - Louis had looked quite mournful when he realised there was a little less Harry for him to love.  For some reason - which Harry didn't understand - the older lad had always adored Harry's little tummy.  In all honesty Harry felt better now it was gone.  Now he could stand next to Louis and not feel quite so out of place.

Thanks to Liam's masterplan to keep the band super fit with various gym workouts and Louis' love of football, Louis was chiselled to near perfection.  Strong, muscular arms, toned chest and a defined six pack, Louis thought nothing of strutting around shirtless.

This wasn't something Harry was going to complain about any time soon.  Ever since his first heat, Harry's view on Louis had evolved.  He was now more certain than ever that what they had between them was more than just a friendship, it had to be, he didn't look at Niall or Zayn with the hungry, lustful gazes Harry lavished upon Louis.

It really was a very exciting time.

 

"No offence babe, but that was frightful," Louis commented as the dreadful film finally finished and the credits began to roll.  "You usually have much better taste love."

Harry giggled sheepishly, which endeared Louis in an instant.  If he had been honest he hadn't cared that the film had been crap, it just meant that he had more time to watch Harry, who would always be Louis' favourite topic of observation.

Louis loved to watch Harry watch films.  He was always drawn to how his facial expressions would move with the story.  And the different scents of his emotions could both ease Louis into a calm and sleepy stupor, or have him on the edge of his seat, just by feeding off Harry's inner thoughts.

Harry had always had different scents to correspond with his feelings, but since his first heat they had become stronger and more defined.  Louis was enchanted by each and every one of them.  It was like he was relearning his Harry all over again.

 

Louis' nose twitched as Harry nuzzled into his neck.  There had been a different fragrance in the air tonight that kept wafting in and out.  It was rich and luxurious.  At first he had thought nothing of it, but then the bewitching and exotic scent tickled his nostrils once again, and this time it really started to confuse him.  The scent was familiar, the answer teased upon the tip of his tongue, but he just couldn't recall why.

Harry was nosing at the little sensitive spot behind Louis' ear, completely oblivious to his best friend's mental distraction.  In retaliation, Louis twisted the tips of Harry's curls between his finger tips, and racked his brain to remember _when_ and _where_ he had smelt it before.  

Then it hit him.  

It was _exactly_ the same scent as the one that he'd only first discovered when Harry had first gone into heat.

_Heat_!?

Harry jumped violently with surprise as Louis leapt up and strode to the wall where his calendar hung.  His stubby finger jabbed at the dates as he muttered under his breath to count the number of days between the date of Harry's last heat and today.

It didn't add up. It just did _not_ add up!

"Lou? What are you doing? Come back to bed!"

Louis glanced at the calendar one more time, before he looked back at Harry with a critical eye.  The young omega eyed him with a slight pout on his lips, because Louis still hadn't moved straight away to come back to him.

Harry didn't look like he was going into heat... but what was that scent all about?  Why now?  

"Sorry," Louis muttered with a shake of his head.  "I... thought I'd forgotten something..."

Maybe it was the sudden confusion, or maybe it was just the weather, but Louis felt a little bit too warm all over, so he tugged his t-shirt up and over his head. A cool sea breeze drifted through the open window and felt so nice and relieving upon his heated skin, but with the breeze came a very powerful hit of that confusing exotic scent.  This wasn't his imagination, something was happening in front of his very eyes, and Louis didn't like it one bit.

 

"Nice shorts," Zayn commented dryly, as he looked up from his sketch pad and observed Louis' state of half undress.  

Louis rolled his eyes.  His shorts were nothing special, just basic casual basketball style, long and baggy.  

Although, they did hang seductively low on his hips, which allowed the slight smattering of hair that led up to his belly button to be fully on show, now that he was also shirtless.  It was also plain to see that he was not wearing any boxers underneath, considering what Zayn could see bouncing with every step he took.

Niall, who was perched next to him, idly watching his friend draw, glanced up to greet Louis, then smirked when he saw Harry enter the room closely behind.

"Lou, what are you doing now? This is _total_ disrespect to our film night!"

"Just need to check summit out," Louis muttered distractedly.  He knelt down in front of the usually forgotten bookcase and dragged a large hardback book into his lap.  Every time Louis went away, this book would always travel with him.  The other's often laughed at his expense as he lugged the heavy hardback between locations, and then barely even read it, but now having it in his possession had paid off.

Louis patted the ground next to him.  "How are you feeling?" He asked, at a pitch a little too strangled to be completely casual, "Have you got a temperature?"

He sniffed the air as Harry sat down beside him, his narrowed eyes inspected the young omega from head to toe.  Harry did look a bit flushed in the face, and his eyes were oddly bright.  And dark.  In fact Harry's pupils were almost completely dilated.

It was the most enticing sight, and Louis would adore seeing it again.  But in a more romantic setting, with mood lighting and because Louis had been lavishing physical affection upon him.  Right now there was no plausible cause for his dilated pupils.  This was not a positive sign!

"Omegas for Dummies?" Harry asked as he peered at the title of the book with a frown of distaste.  "Why are you reading that? _Now_?"

"I think you might be going into an early heat love," Louis murmured as he flicked though the pages. "Maybe we should get you to the doctors and run a couple of tests.  I don't _know_ what it means." Louis groaned.  He needed more people on this. "Zay?" he called over his shoulder. "Pull up early omega heats on the net would ya?  How common are they?  What are the symptoms?  Do I need to take Harry to hospital?"

Zayn and Niall shared a meaningful glance.  Both of them seemed unfairly amused by Louis' predicament.  

It wasn't the right time to muse over the realisation, but over the past few weeks Louis _had_ noticed that Niall and Zayn had been exhibiting some strange behaviour of their own.  

For example, they always looked a little too invested in what Harry and Louis were up to, and neither of them was discrete about it.  Sometimes they could be so blatant about their eavesdropping, that Louis could swear he _saw_ their ears prick up!

"What symptoms does Harry have?" asked Niall innocently.  His eyes never left Harry, and they danced with an entertained interest.  Almost as though he was in the middle of an inside joke which the elder alpha and young omega were not privy to.

Niall tried hard to keep his sniggers to a minimum, but it was just too funny and therefore it was too hard!  What was being played out in front of his eyes was more hilarious than any televised comedy.

Louis had just run his hand through his hair, making the muscles in his bicep ripple.  Harry just stared, utterly transfixed with the most romantic of smiles on his lips as he mirrored the movement by running his own fingers through his curls.

"I can't get my head around this," Louis complained, not hearing Niall's question, and slipped his glasses onto his face so he could see the fine print better.  Without a further word he wrapped an arm around Harry's waist and gave him a quick kiss upon his temple.  "But don't worry love, everything's going to be fine.  I'll look after you."

Harry scooched closer to Louis.  He wanted to sit as near to him as possible and pressed his forehead against Louis' cheek, rather like a cat that leans against their owners legs when it wants a cuddle.

Louis smiled appreciatively despite his concern, and rubbed his fingers up and down Harry's bare arm.  He loved it when Harry got all sweet and cuddly like this.  As worried as he was about the possibility of an unscheduled heat, it still hadn't really hit home that Harry really was an omega, that his fantasy had come that one major step closer to reality.  The future held so much promise, so much excitement, and it was all because of his best friend and the simple act of luck in biological lottery. 

Louis breathed in deeply, automatically expecting to smell the waft of spring flowers, which clung to Harry's skin like an intentionally applied fragrance when he was in the sweetest of moods, but instead there was that _fricking_ scent again!

Huffing his concern, Louis turned his attention fully back to the book in his lap. If this was something to worry about, it would be here, everything omega related was in here. It had been one of his bibles ever since he properly understood what an omega was, and although he had _thought_ he knew it back to front - he must have missed this section!

"I think I'm fine Lou," Harry murmured, and rubbed his nose against Louis' cheek, his eyes closed.  "Can't we just continue our evening and see what happens? It's not long now until we're separated again. Can't you do this then?"

"I'm not going _anywhere_ until we've sorted this out," Louis promised seriously. His nose twitched.  All he could smell was a waft of violets, the confusing scent had gone.

"Zayn! Where are we with those symptoms?" Louis raised his voice, "Get scents up! Harry's emitting an odd scent on and off, only smelt it when he was on heat.  I need to know why."

"Lou! I'm right here!" squeaked Harry who blushed a deep red and shunted away from Louis, who was trying to be subtle about sniffing Harry's hair.

Niall and Zayn were watching the interaction as though it was a live action soap opera performed in their living room.  Zayn had completely discarded his sketch book in order to give it his full attention, and Niall had produced a bag of gummy bears from somewhere and chewed animatedly as he watched.

"What kind of scent?" asked Zayn with a smirk as he pretended to search on his phone.  Instead he wrote a message to Niall on his notepad app and waved it under his mate's nose.

_Wow! We should be filming this!_

Zayn knew this wasn't an early heat. He just hadn't realised that Louis Tomlinson, or Mr Know-It-All as he liked to secretly refer to him as, was so oblivious about something so _obvious_!  He really was as blind as Liam!

Louis scrunched his nose as he considered, and tried to put the memory into words.

"Erm... exotic.  Like... mango and coconut.  And... erm... jasmine. But all blended together."

Niall smirked, then whispered something to Zayn who snorted with amusement.  Louis glared daggers at both of them.

"When did you first notice this unusual scent?" Zayn asked as he struggled to control his laughter.  "Was it before or after you took your top off?"

Louis had finally found the section on ' _Omega_ _Heats'_ and didn't hear, but Harry's mouth dropped open aghast.   _He_ knew full well what they were implying, and knew full well they were right!

"Zayn!" Harry squeaked once more with embarrassment.  His cheeks burned hotly and the glance he threw his friend was slightly hurt.  He didn't like being made fun of, especially not from his close circle of friends about sensitive topics.  Harry's attraction to Louis was right at the top of the list.  He had also only just become aware that the boys had noticed... although considering how Louis was acting, it clearly hadn't occurred to him... the only one who it should have.

Harry honestly didn't know which realisation bothered him more.

"Your rut is coming up isn't it Lou?" Niall commented easily as he bit the head of a green gummy bear and dodged Zayn's finger that had sprung out to dig him in the ribs.

Louis shut his book with a snap and pushed the bridge of his glasses up his nose.

"Eh?" he asked distractedly and made a grab for Harry to drag him onto his crossed legs.  His lad was too far away for Louis' liking, and if he was honest, he wanted to have another sneaky sniff of him.  

Although Louis hadn't found any information that was of use, he still felt worried.  Maybe he was being silly.  Maybe he had just imagined it.  Maybe Harry was ok... for now... he'd have to keep a close eye on him though.  Just to be on the safe side.

Harry leant back against Louis' chest and peered up at him with interest.  Now this was something he did want to know the answer to.

"Your rut," Niall repeated.  "When is it?  Soon?"

"Erm... as a matter of fact... yes," Louis muttered in a tight tone.  "Why?"

"Just wondering what your plans are," Niall replied.  It was an obvious attempt to be casual, but there was a little spark in his eyes which travelled deep below the surface as he examined the two lads cuddle in front of him.

Louis cleared his throat in a bid to buy time.  Damn Niall and his stupid questions!

"Oh, well, same as usual," he muttered.  He could feel Harry's eyes boring into his face, but he couldn't bring himself to meet them.  "You know, go away for a day or so..."

"Cool!" Niall grinned and nudged Harry's ankle with his toe.  "Haven't had quality _Narry_ time for a while!"  He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  "What _mischief_ shall we get up to whilst the cat's away?"

Harry laughed weakly.  He tried to cool his emotions, he didn't really like how Louis was able to sniff out what he was feeling.  He wondered if he knew what jealousy smelt like yet.  Of course he couldn't detect attraction...

For Harry, Louis' ruts meant one thing.  

_Eleanor_.

Harry _despised_ Eleanor.

"Narry?" Zayn scoffed.  "What about _Zarry_?  Zarry time is much more fun than _Narry_!  Right Haz!"

" _Narry_ plays golf!" Niall reasoned.  "What do you say mate?  We could check out the local links, have a bit of lunch at the club house?  See if we can..."

"Or," Zayn butted in as he slapped his hand over Niall's mouth.  "We could check out the local art exhibit at the museum.  I believe they're landscapes.  Great reviews.  We haven't been there yet, and I know you appreciate a decent display of art."

"Here?" Niall laughed.  This town was so small!  The museum was tiny!  "Ok, well you two can do that for the full twenty minutes it'll take to look at ten paintings.  Then me and Haz can go and chill out over a game!"

Louis listened to his mates pretend to argue over who got _custody_  of Harry whilst he was away, and although he was grateful that they tried so hard to make sure Harry was entertained, he felt guilty.  

"Thanks, but I'm going to be with Louis." 

Harry's words pierced through Louis' thoughts and brought him down to Earth with a sharp bump.

" _What_?!"

It wasn't just his own voice that Louis heard.  Niall and Zayn had also questioned, each tone a different shade of cautious concern... although Niall sounded a touch too gleeful.  Louis' sharp eyes didn't miss how the younger alpha poked Zayn in his peripheral vision.  

"Lou's rut," Harry elaborated and wrapped Louis' arms more snuggly around him.  "He looked after me during my heat.  I'm gonna return the favour.  Right Lou?"

Harry strained to kiss the soft and tender part of flesh underneath Louis' chin, then gazed at him with loving eyes full of warmth... and just the slightest hint of defiance.

It was enough to splinter a chunk off Louis' heart.  Harry wasn't joking.  He really was asking to be with Louis during his rut!  Did he really think it was that simple?  Ruts weren't a game, they weren't to be taken lightly, and he knew he wasn't overreacting because Niall and Zayn both looked shocked.  

Well, Zayn seemed concerned, Niall on the other hand looked as though he was going to nut in his boxers... Louis grimaced.  That was such an ugly thought!

"Harry, babe, you can't be at my rut love," Louis murmured and dropped a small kiss upon his perfect little nose.  "You would hate it.  They're not fun and... well... I could hurt you.  You would be much happier with Niall and Zayn."

Harry's expression turned to one of disgruntled confusion.

"You never worry that you're going to hurt _Eleanor._ "

Harry sounded like he was on the verge of sulking and began to flick at Louis' forearm with his fingers.  Harry no longer wanted them around him, and wanted Louis to know that, but if the alpha was to let him go, Harry was certain he would cry.  It was just so unfair!  What could Eleanor have that he didn't?  Fair enough, she could fill a bra.  But Harry had four nipples!

"El can handle herself babe," Louis muttered, red in the face and shifty.  "I would be devastated if I accidently hurt you."

"But how will you know if we don't try?" Harry insisted.  "I let you help me!  Let me help you!" he ended his plea by nosing Louis' cheek.  "I'd take care of you," he promised with a husky whisper.

Louis gulped.  He closed his eyes, unable to stop himself from imagining just how Harry could take care of him and the thought alone went straight to his crotch.  It had been hard enough when he'd had to fend off Harry's wandering hands during the omega's first heat.  He'd had to persuade Harry to cease attempts to undress him, he had barely been in control then... there was no way he'd be able to stop himself during his rut... he knew how he got... he couldn't put Harry through that!  Not for his first time!

It was deliberate.  It had to be deliberate!  Harry had wriggled in his lap, or rather he had ground down against Louis' semi.  Just that small act had Louis clenching his fists just to keep him from doing anything stupid.

But then Harry had to do it again, along with the flutter of lips to the side of his jaw, which only enhanced his desires.  Harry was just provoking him now, using his seductive charms to get him to agree to the rut.  Who would have thought that sweet little Harry would be so impish and... manipulative?

Louis was dangerously close to giving in...

"Harry!  I said, _no_!"

Niall gripped Zayn's shoulder as Louis finally snapped and he practically shouted at Harry, who blinked owlishly with surprise, then scrambled to get up and off Louis' lap, and legged it from the room, slamming every door he fled through.

"That was harsh," Zayn commented slowly and watched with his lips pressed tightly together as Louis scraped his hands down his face.  "Did you have to shout at the kid?  He meant well."

"I cannot rut with Harry!" Louis growled.  "I won't do it.  My ruts are planned out, and they go fine.  If it's not broken, don't fix it!"

Niall shared an exasperated eye roll with Zayn.  Now Louis was just being a grade-A twat!

"I'll go and check on him," Niall offered.  He hovered by Louis on his way to the door.  "Go easy on him yeah?  He doesn't understand ruts yet.  And cut him some slack.  You just rejected him in front of his mates."

"I wasn't trying to upset him," Louis groaned.  It was the first time he knew he had hurt Harry and not gone running after him.  It was the first time he didn't want to explain himself.

Niall and Zayn both shared variations of the same thought.  It had all been fun and games when they had been making bets at the start of the summer, but they could sense they were in the calm before the storm.  Louis' rut was only a few days away.  Who knew how Harry was going to react when Louis actually did go through it with Eleanor?

They discovered Harry's reaction exactly four days later.

 

"Harry?" Niall wheedled through the locked door that led to Harry and Louis' temporary bedroom.  "Come on mate, you can't hide in there all day.  I thought we were going to have Narry time!"

There was no sound from inside.  Niall made a face at Zayn who had just arrived home from his run on the beach.

"Not a peep," Niall complained to him in a tone so low, Zayn had to incline his head to hear.  "Harry's been hiding in there ever since Lou left this morning.  I've knocked, I've tried to bribe him!  I've wafted his favourite foods through the gap!" Niall shook his head, completely out of ideas.  "I haven't even heard him flush the toilet!  In five hours!"

"Maybe he just wants to be left alone," Zayn offered helpfully.  "You know to... ugh... fine," he muttered to himself as Niall turned on his most mournful expression.  With a roll of his eyes Zayn knocked sharply on the bedroom door.

"Harry!  Get your ass out here, you need to eat and have some company mate! We can go anywhere you want!  We can have some proper Zarry time!"

Zayn didn't smile at Niall though, uncertain that they would actually hear both footsteps and the door being unbolted.  Like he feared... nothing...

"Ok.  I'm seriously worried," Niall stated as he rubbed his face.  "What if Harry's sick?  What if he has fallen over his feet and knocked himself out on the toilet?  What if..."

"What if he's just reading?  Or sleeping?"  Zayn suggested in his usual calm manor.  Then his face fell.  "Or crying..."

"Exactly!" Niall agonised with a groan.  "We have to do something!"

Zayn lowered his voice a notch.  He hoped his soothing tone would relax his excitable little buddy.  Niall was an amazing friend, but he could resemble a bull in a china shop when it came to his levels of sensitivity.  "Come on Ni, think about it.  Harry won't want to tell us how shit he feels about Louis' rut.  We need to pretend that we don't have a fucking clue..."

"Yeah," Niall nodded.  His forehead creased with thought.  "I will have to pretend to be as tuned out to it as Liam is," he rolled his eyes and looked a little sulky.  "You have no idea how hard it's going to be to pretend that Larry love doesn't exist!  I might suffer withdrawal!" he sighed tragically, then groaned and banged his head against the door.  "This is _pain_!  Why won't they just _love_ each other!"

"Shhh!" Zayn warned with a hiss and a frown as he grabbed Niall by the scruff of his neck and yanked him down the hall towards the living room.  "H might hear you!  We probably shouldn't mention Lou until he does to be honest.  How are we going to distract him?  Lou could be away for ages.  We need to be there for him without him thinking that we know he needs support.  Can we do that?"

Niall shrugged.  He had no idea what to do.  For one thing, Louis came and went as he needed to when it came to his ruts.  They all did.  Sometimes it was less than twenty-four hours, other times it had lasted as long as four days.  It couldn't be calculated.  And they had never had to deal with a distraught Harry before...

Zayn glanced bleakly at the locked bedroom door that hid their very unhappy omega.  He wished Harry would let them distract him, but clearly he just wanted to be alone.  But was that the best thing for him?  Niall was right.  Harry shouldn't be alone.  Like it or not, the younger lad needed his other friends around him.

"What do we do?" Niall asked Zayn with uncertainty.  It wasn't the first time the slightly younger alpha asked for guidance.  "Wait for Liam to get back from his dad's?" He groaned from his own confusion.  "I just want to go and cuddle the poor lad and promise him it's going to be ok and that Louis will ditch the bitch and it will be just the two of them for ever and ever!"

"You don't know that," Zayn countered.  He'd been thinking about the bets he and Niall had made, and had begun to doubt his own.  He had been so sure that Louis would have... acted by now... but instead, Louis was at some hotel with Eleanor, and Harry was depressed and solitary in his bedroom.  Was this unrequited love?  Was it just Harry who loved Louis?  Zayn had been so certain that Louis was all in and he was waiting on Harry... but... 

"Oy!" Niall punched his shoulder, his face twisted with betrayal.  "I can't be living with a wobbler!  I didn't make @CaptainStylinson for you to be a _weak_ Larry!"

Zayn rolled his eyes.  This was Niall's line of defence for everything these days.  

_"Louis did not survive Harry's heat for you to become a weak Larry!"_

_"Louis didn't spend £30k on Harry's happiness for you to become a weak Larry!"_

_"Harry didn't give his hamsters those names for you to be a weak Larry!"_

"Calm down Captain Niall," Zayn murmured as he gave his disgruntled friend a big hug.  "Let's go and try again yeah?  Let's ask him if he wants to go and mess around at the studio.  Harry loves that."

Niall was far from convinced.  Zayn reached into his pocket and pulled out a small silver key.  

"Just in case we have to use force and _make_ him spend time with us!"

Zayn patted Niall's arm with affection.  "It's what Louis would want," he told him gently.  "Lou loves Harry doesn't he?  We would be horrible people if we just leave H all miserable and lonely."

"Yeah," Niall nodded and smiled faintly.  He made a grab for the key and waved it as he stomped over to the locked door.  "Let's go and take care of Louis' baby!  Whether he likes it or not!"

 

Louis was shattered.  Every muscle in his body felt like jelly, and his mind didn't fully belong to him yet... it had been his most difficult rut to date.  He'd actually been away from home for _five_ days.  If he hadn't received a text from Niall (who had text him every morning he was away, just in case he was on his way home), Louis would have headed straight for his bed, and dragged his snuggle buddy Harry with him.

Instead, Louis had driven to the studio and felt horrific.  Nauseous, over-tired and a bit painful.  He probably shouldn't be behind the wheel in this condition, but all Louis wanted was to be where his baby was.  

Harry was his home.

With each step he made as he strode across the carpark and through the doors of the familiar studio, the relief inside him expanded.  All he wanted was to slouch on the settee in the studio and have his baby snuggled in his arms as he buried his nose in soft curls and fall asleep.  His whole body and mind felt fucked out.

Seeing the 'occupied' light on outside their usual studio space, Louis crept in quietly and shut the door gently behind him.  There was music playing through the speakers and through the observation window he could see Harry, Niall and Zayn sat around the studio clearly listening with intent.  

Obviously Niall and Zayn had come up with something new whilst he'd been gone, but this wasn't their usual sound.  It was raw, edgy with rocky undertones.  

But it was the voice that made Louis slide down the wall out of sight.  It wasn't Niall.  It didn't belong to Liam, and it was too husky to be Zayn.

It was Harry.  And he was in pain.

_You're a junkie for your ladies lead,_  
_You're so addicted that you can't get clean,_  
_And you're craving, but makes you ill,_  
_You can't control it, it's doing my head in,_  
Well come on over here,  
It's about time your ass was mine,  
_You can't say no, not until you've tried it_.

_I can't give you what you want, but I'll give you what you need, I'll take him from ya,_ _I can't give you what you want, but I'll give you what you need, you know you want to, don't be stupid, you're hanging on but you know it's useless, I can't give you what you want, but I'll give you what you need, what you need is this._

_You're electric but she leaves you cold,_  
_You need the shock she gives you, but you can't let go,_  
And she's a habit, you learn to take her lip,  
And you can't help yourself, you've got to scratch that itch,  
  
_Well come on over here, it's about time I blow your mind,_  
_Don't you dare say no, not until you've tried it._

Was it because he was so tired?  Or something else.  But he suddenly felt a chill down his spine.  Realisation hit him hard in the gut.

This song was about _him_.  About his rut with Eleanor.  And written by Harry from his perspective.  

Harry couldn't be more obvious if he'd tried.  Was Louis meant to have heard this?  What was he meant to say or do now that he had?

The song ended.  

With difficulty Louis got to his feet, his bones weak, his head dizzy and crowded.  It was almost unbearable.  He shuffled through the second set of doors to where the lads were.

Niall and Harry were in the middle of a high five.  Niall congratulated him loudly, whilst Zayn swung back and forth on his chair, a proud grin on his face.  

Harry was mid blush, the prettiest of pink tinges upon the otherwise waxy and pale pallor of his skin.  It concerned Louis greatly.  Harry looked dreadful!

All of a sudden the omega's expression froze and blanked.  Almost as though he was made out of marble, void of emotion and just as cold.

Harry had spotted Louis.  But he wasn't pleased to see him.

Amid Niall and Zayn's enthusiastic welcomes, which Louis might as well have been blind to, Harry had picked up his coat.

Without even a glance in his direction, Harry strode right past Louis, and left the studio.  

Fully aware that Niall and Zayn's sympathetic eyes were upon him, Louis breathed in one long suffering breath.  All he could smell was the stinging acidic rainfall, the only emotion Harry couldn't hide.

Niall as always was first to grab Louis in a bro hug.

"You were gone for so long!" he groaned into Louis' ear along with his affectionate squeeze.  "You've never been gone this long before!  Are you alright?"

"Totally fucked!" Louis groaned and looked desperately towards the door.  He didn't want to be here.  He wanted to run after Harry.  But he sensed he wouldn't be welcome though.  Harry had left with one purpose, to get away from Louis... how the alpha wanted to cry - and Louis didn't do tears lightly.

"So, Harry wrote a song," Louis commented before Niall or Zayn could say anything else.  He had to say _something_.  "I guess he needed to be kept entertained whilst I was away."

"He needed a project," Zayn confirmed with his trademark shrug.  "We weren't doing anything, Harry had already written some stuff down because Niall..."

"I said I needed some help with a song _I_ was writing." Niall interrupted to stop Zayn from revealing their secret assumptions.  Harry had explicitly stated he didn't want Louis to hear it.  Unfortunately he had... now Niall had to cover for him.  

"You wrote that?" Louis was sceptical.  He knew in his gut that Harry had written it.  You didn't help them with their homework for years without picking up a hint or two about their writing style!

Louis didn't listen to Niall's long winded explanation.  He had just received a text message from Harry:   _Don't even try to talk to me!  I can't believe you!  We are not on good terms!  Sleep on your own tonight!_

Louis squeezed his eyes tightly shut to stop his tears.  His head was so fuzzy, he felt so weak and detached.  Through the cloud of fog settling behind his eyelids he was vaguely aware of Niall's phone beep as it received a text.

"Erm... this is... awkward..."

Niall looked anxiously between Louis and Zayn.

"Harry wants me to drive him back to the flat..." he trailed off.  Louis knew his face had fallen.  Harry really must be furious with him.

"Go," Louis whispered.  He was in no state to drive anyway.  Harry just needed to cool off.  He was sure they would talk when he got home.  Right now he should just give his lad some space.

"Are you ok Lou?" Niall asked as he eyed how spaced out his mate was.  "You look shit!"

Louis forced himself to open his eyes wider in a bid to look more with it.

"Please take H home," he muttered.  "Both of you?  I'll close up here.  Go make sure he's alright."

Niall and Zayn both hesitated, but after an unsteady glare from Louis they both bolted towards the door.

Louis knew he should start shutting the place down.  Instead he just flopped onto the settee and closed his eyes.  Everything was just wrong, and he didn't have enough strength to make it right.  If he hadn't have been in his post rut phase he would have shoved the lads out of the way, and run after Harry himself, but his mind was somewhere else entirely. The last few days had not been like other ruts.  He didn't want another one like it again.

 

The tension was so thick it could be considered tangible.  As dense as the cold, damp fog which clouded and refused to disperse from the atmosphere outside, and felt just as cold.

Louis sat on his own in an arm chair, almost an outcast as he watched the forced merriment performed in front of him.  

His fingers drummed restlessly upon the arm of the chair, the muscles in the back of his neck tight and knotted.  Louis wasn't entirely sure how much more of this he could watch ... but then again, it was all his fault...

"You are _such_ a cheat!" Niall exclaimed in mock outrage.  "There is no way you have _still_ got that much money!" he clapped his hands together.  "Enough is enough Mr Malik!  I'm taking over as banker, we'll see how good you do _now_!"

Zayn grinned lazily.  He was sprawled on the floor on his stomach, propped up on his elbows.  "If you're suggesting I've been paying you both rent directly from the bank funds... you would be right."

"Loser," Niall muttered as he sensed the game was about to come to an abrupt end.  "Who cheats at Monopoly past the age of eight?"

Zayn smirked, tossed his property cards into the centre of the board and stretched widely as he rolled onto his back.

"Harry wins," he stated as he yawned, "since he's the only one who didn't cheat."  His eyes narrowed but his eyes sparkled with humour.  "I saw _you_ sneaking extra properties in with your own Horan!"

Harry tried to muster a smile, but he just couldn't manage it.  Niall and Zayn were trying so hard to cheer him up, but so far their efforts of board games and junk food to ward off the wet and rainy day had fallen flat.

It didn't help that he could feel Louis' eyes upon him.  They followed his every move, bored into the back of his purposely turned head, pleaded silently with him to throw Louis just the swiftest of glances.  

Louis wanted to be forgiven.

But unlike every little thing which Louis was so adamant to deny Harry, forgiveness was the one thing Harry just wasn't ready to do.

It was as though Louis could tell that he was in Harry's thoughts.

"I'm gonna make a cuppa," he stated, his tone pale and slightly strained.  "Anyone want one?"

"Grab me a beer mate," Niall requested as he flicked through music channels on the television until he found a song that he knew the young omega liked.  Not that Harry would have noticed.  His mind had been constantly elsewhere for a few days now.

"Haz?" 

Louis' words dripped with emotion, enough so that his voice cracked slightly as he spoke his best friend's name.  The omega was only a few feet away from him, and yet it felt they were separated by miles.  The metaphorical gap only widened when Harry refused to acknowledge him.

"Harry?" Louis tried again.  "Thirsty?"

Harry clearly bristled at the sound of Louis' voice.  

"Zayn?" he asked in a tight, determined little voice.  "Could _you_ tell the _alpha_ that I am perfectly capable of getting my _own_ drink when I _want_ one!"

Zayn raised his eyebrows and glanced over at Louis who stood slumped and miserable.  At first the alpha had tried to put on a brave face when Harry used one of the boys to respond to Louis through, but the longer it went on, the more difficult it was for him to hide.  Zayn had never seen Louis look more defeated than he did now.  With a wince Louis gave the back of Harry's head one last pleading glance before shuffling towards the kitchen.  He didn't even want a cup of tea, it had just been an excuse to talk to Harry.  He just wanted Harry to respond to him.

"Mate, you can't go on like this."

Zayn took Harry's hands in his own and tugged the omega to his feet, and immediately realised that the young omega was not going to back down easily.  Eyebrows furrowed, his usually bright eyes bleak, Harry oozed obstinacy.  Zayn predicted that the lad was already prepared to disagree with anything the quietly spoken alpha suggested.

Harry allowed himself to be steered towards the settee, Niall and Zayn placing him between them.

"I'm sorry," Harry mumbled immediately.  "This must be really awkward for you two.  I shouldn't involve you in it.  This is between myself and Louis."

"I think we past awkward a few days ago buddy," Niall tried to chuckle, but his eyes were sympathetic as were Zayn's.  As much as it was uncomfortable for them, they could guess how painful it was for the two friends who loved each other so much that they couldn't stand to be apart, even if one refused to talk to the other.

"Are you ever going to tell us what happened?" Zayn asked carefully.  

It wasn't the first time Harry had been questioned.  No one had been prepared for such an occurrence.  For someone who had always looked upon Louis as the creator of the sun and the moon, his sudden change of character, where he started to act as though he was allergic to his closest friend was very disturbing.  

Zayn had tried to talk to Louis, Niall had tried to badger a confession out of Harry, but neither lad would say a word to either of them.

It was even more baffling for Liam who constantly looked as though an alien invasion was happening right under his nose.  It didn't make sense to him.  Why wouldn't Harry speak or look at Louis?  What could have possibly have happened?  He had only been at his dad's for a week!  Never in the sixteen years that they had been friends had Harry and Louis ever had a problem that couldn't be sorted out within a couple of hours.  This had to be something really serious.  Liam badly wanted to ask what was going on, but as supportive as he was, he was admittedly scared of what the answer could be.  He just hoped that whatever it was, would be resolved soon.  It didn't take a genius to work out that the silence between them was hurting the boys so much more.

Niall and Zayn were much less confused.  They have had a pretty good idea what the problem was, and were in wait for a confession of what they expected than an announcement full of brand new information.

"I don't want to talk about it," Harry robotically told them.  Words he felt he had repeated about a thousand times during the last few days.  

In truth, he wasn't sure he was able to discuss the subject that had cut him so deeply.  Although he had a huge amount of respect for his brother and the two of his closest friends, there was only one person who he would ever consider coming to terms over such heartache with... which was the one person who had put his head in such a spin to begin with.

"Come on Harry..." Niall began in a coaxing tone as he patted the young omega's knee.  "Nothing could have possibly been this bad for you..."

"Stop bugging him," Louis snapped as he returned, a can of beer and a packet of crisps wedged under one arm, a steaming mug in each hand.  His eyes were a vivid blue, as icy as the ocean that was under a mile from the flat with a deeply rooted fury as dangerous as the weather induced current under the surface of the waves. Both Niall and Zayn visibly shifted in their seats.  Louis was not someone to argue with when it came to the subject being about Harry.

"Here you go."

Louis passed one of the mugs to his best friend and breathed an internal sigh of relief when Harry's hands closed around the mug and carefully accepted it.

"Thanks," he muttered.  Harry didn't meet Louis' eyes, but the alpha counted it as a positive sign.  Today he accepted a mug of tea, tomorrow he might actually feel like a discussion.  They both desperately needed one.

"So... what should we do now?" Niall questioned as he cracked open his beer.  "Do you two feel like a bit of a writing sesh?  I know Liam's busy working on his six pack, and won't be back for hours, but I really think we should look at track nine again.  It's just missing something."

Zayn nodded thoughtfully as he stared into space, no doubt visualising the notes in his mind, the lyrics rippled in between.

Louis watched Harry sip his tea and stare at the floor.  It was just all wrong.  Harry shouldn't be seated between Niall and Zayn, he should be either by his side or upon _his_ lap!

"We need to talk," Louis blurted out before he even had time to consider allowing his words to have a voice.  "Harry?  Please babe, come talk to me?"

Harry chewed on the inside of his cheek, his eyes downcast.  It didn't look as though he was going to accept, but finally, with both Niall and Zayn's nervous expressions upon him, his curly head bobbed the slightest amount.

Without a thought of whether it was appropriate or not, Louis reached out his hand to help Harry up.  It was not a welcome invitation.  As soft and cuddly as Harry usually was, the expression upon his face was irritated with a bite of hostility.  Clearly they were not at that stage yet.

"Our room?" Louis asked instead and ran his hand through his hair.  Harry nodded and quietly slunk off in that direction.

Louis glanced at Niall and Zayn, who were silently throwing him large gestures of encouragement.  He felt lucky to have such supportive friends.

 

Harry had his back to Louis when he entered their bedroom and shut the door behind him.  His hands were stuffed in his pockets, back straight, posture rigid.  His head made a slight nod of acknowledgement, but his eyes stayed fixed upon the brutal sheet of rain which peppered the pane of glass inches from his nose.  The weather was a direct comparison to Harry's mood the past few days.  Dark, unforgiving and if caught up in it, would leave you shivering with cold for hours.

Unsure of what to do or say, Louis sat carefully on the edge of the bed.  

"What do you want to talk about?" Harry asked quietly.  It was honestly as though the young omega had no idea of the problem between them.

"Your hatred for me?" Louis suggested with a tone as though he was offering another cup of tea.  It felt eerie how he sounded so calm and collected.

The expression upon Harry's face when he finally turned away from the window and leant against the ledge was one of surprise and confusion.

"I don't hate you," Harry frowned.  "I love you," he rubbed his nose with his index finger, eyes fixed on Louis',  "quite a lot actually.  Maybe if I didn't..." he trailed off and folded his arms.  Louis winced at the silent accusation.

"Then why have you been treating me like this?" Louis grumbled, his air of desperation didn't go unnoticed.

Harry rolled his eyes and slid down the wall so that he sat with his back against it, knees drawn up to his chest.

"I was hardly going to give you a round of applause and throw a parade in your honour!" Harry all but growled.  "You had a choice, in my opinion you made the wrong one.  I can't actually believe that you are pretending as though you are clueless!"

"It's not my fault I have ruts!" Louis protested indignantly.  "It's not something I can control!"

"It's your fault you spent it with _her_!" Harry snapped, exposing the route of the problem.  "You had choices Lou, and you chose _her_ over _me_.  Which you are entitled to do.  I just made the most stupid, uneducated _assumption_ that since I _presented_ , since _I_ spent my first ever heat with _you_ , since we pretty much said that we were going to be together one day... I expected that you..." 

"Harry I'm sorry!" Louis groaned with his face in his hands.  "It's really not what you think."

"You spent your rut with an omega who wasn't me," Harry informed him coolly.  "And to be fair, you had every right to.  You didn't make a promise, you didn't mark me, you didn't initiate a relationship because you think I have stuff to _figure out._ "

"Harry you are really young!" Louis protested and almost threw himself at the young omega's feet.  "You do..."

"Actually I have figured something out," Harry told him pointedly.  His eyes softened and he reached out to play with the cuff of Louis' rolled up sleeve.

"You have always taught me that I deserve the best, that I'm worth something and that I'm special."

"You are!" Louis nodded animated.  "You should never settle for anything..."

"So why should I settle for an alpha who bed-hops?" Harry asked him with a questioning shrug.  "What kind of person would I be if I didn't punish you for creating something amazing, then watch you take it for granted.  It's an insult Louis.  I deserve better than that!  I am someone's _first_ choice, not _your_ back up!"

Harry shook his head.  "I mean, I'm right here, ready and willing to give you everything I have.  I'm waiting around for you to make your mind up about when I'm ready!" he poked Louis in the chest with a sharp finger.  "You're the one who needs to sort his shit out." He patted his chest and smiled his most innocent and dreamy smile.  "I deserve the best Lou.  I deserve a loyal alpha who wouldn't dream of even _sniffing_ another omega." 

Louis watched as Harry leant forwards onto his hands and knees and moved towards him, kneeing up in front of him, so close their noses almost touched.

"I want _you_ Lou," he whispered huskily, gazing imploringly into Louis' puzzled eyes,  "but after your little rut with Eleanor, you're going to have to work so much harder to be with me." 

Louis could only watch as Harry rocked back on his heels, then reached forward to thumb at both of his cheeks.

"I'm worth it Lou," Harry murmured.  His gaze never wavered from Louis' eyes.  "We could have something so special.  Don't ruin it before it's even started."

"I'm sorry," Louis whispered and closed his eyes.  Harry had cupped Louis' cheek and the older alpha leaned into his touch, not wanting the omega's finger tips to leave his skin.

"Don't be sorry," Harry whispered back.  His lips brushed Louis' forehead.  "Just think about stuff a bit more."

"Trust me," Louis murmured as he closed his eyes and leaned into Harry's lips against his skin.  "It's _all_ I can think about."

 

A truce had been called.  Harry had said his bit.  Louis was more aware of where he stood.  

But there was still an uneasiness between them.  Harry had held back.  He hadn't said all that he wanted to, he wished that he could.  But it was just too hard.  It went against the grain to find fault with the one person he based his future upon.  

All the books Harry had ever read about being an omega stated that he was now a submissive, he should be weak in character.  He was meant to be meek and shy.  Omegas should accept criticism, but should never argue with an alpha.

But Louis had always dismissed this as 'bullshit'.  Louis was a different breed of alpha - even before he was one - as were Liam, Niall and Zayn.

To them, Harry's biological status made no difference to them.  Just like his sexuality, the colour of his skin, the fact that he was the only one out of the five of them who (still) had curly hair.

Louis had always taught Harry to be strong minded and independent.  The last thing he ever wanted was for Harry to hold back his thoughts and feelings out of the stupid need to be respectful. 

Harry knew this, but he didn't want to go too far.  He'd been childish enough to give Louis the silent treatment whilst he processed his thoughts.  That had been bad enough, Louis would really have to push his luck for Harry to expose the extent of his fears.

For now, Harry was going to make the most of their time together before he had to go home... he had already wasted so much of Louis' precious time.  Soon he would have to think about college and homework and having to spend time with unfamiliar people again... and Louis would be miles away...

As Harry let himself be taken into Louis' arms he promised himself that they wouldn't argue during the time they had left together.  He felt confident, they had spent most of their life without finding fault with each other.  Why should it all fall to pieces now?

 

 

"So, let me get this straight," Harry commented in a tightly controlled tone.  His face was oddly contorted and he looked as though it was a struggle to control his anger.  He shoved the front door open with a bang.  "I am _yours_.  Nobody is allowed to touch _me_?  Not even a _doctor_?  But you're not _mine_?" 

"Firstly, I never said that!" Louis hissed through clenched teeth.  "Secondly, Harry, there was no _way_ that I was going to let that happen!" Louis snapped.  His anger had been building ever since they had left the surgery.  He had dealt with Harry's enforced silence on the drive home.  But now Harry had time to think about it properly, the result was fury, not appreciation which Louis had expected.  He just couldn't stop thinking about what the doctor had almost done to Harry.  No matter how pissed the young omega was, Louis still thanked the lords that he had been there to stop it.

"It was a medical procedure," Harry protested.  "I've actually read about it when I was doing my research on suppressants!  He wasn't doing anything wrong!"

"He was going to _finger_ you!" exclaimed Louis as he kicked off his Vans and glared at Niall and Zayn who had somehow morphed into the hall at the sound of their disgruntled voices.

"Er what?" Zayn asked with confusion.  "What the fuck happened?  I thought you were at the doctors?"

"We were!" Harry hissed, his green eyes now angry slits.  "Until the _alpha_ made a fool of himself and embarrassed me!  It's just how it works Lou!" he snapped as he rounded on the alpha who eyed him back with the same amount of judgement.  "They need a sample of my slick in order to select the right suppressant!"

Louis slammed his fist down on the neatest surface.

"Again!  He was going to stick his fucking _fingers_ up your _arse_!"

"It's what they _do_!" Harry bellowed.  He was so angry.  He felt so much rage.  Louis was such a _hypocrite_!

"I need to talk to Louis alone," Harry growled as he clearly addressed Niall and Zayn who were watching the exchange as they would a tennis match, their eyes bouncing from left to right.  

Neither of them argued.  They were fully aware of how serious this was... besides, it would be easier to eavesdrop from outside!

Louis waited for Niall and Zayn to grab jackets and almost trip over themselves to leave, then turned his full attention to Harry.  

"I can't believe you have a problem with me looking after you," Louis grumbled as he strode after Harry who had stalked into their bedroom.  Why wouldn't Harry see sense?  Didn't he understand that he only had his best interests at heart?

 

"Yes!" Niall hissed to Zayn outside.  He had sprinted in front in order to get the best observation spot.  This would only work if Harry and Louis decided to battle it out in their bedroom.  If they stayed in the hall, Niall and Zayn would be screwed!  He ducked his head underneath the window ledge outside Harry and Louis' bedroom.  "They're in there!"

Zayn glared up at the blackened clouds.  The rain had eased off slightly, but it was still falling pretty hard.  Both he and Niall were going to end up soaked.  This had better be worth it!  

With Niall's breath heavy in his ear, he pressed himself against the wall and slowly poked his head over the ledge to see inside the brightly lit room.  Hopefully neither of the bedroom's occupants would notice, by the expressions on their faces, eavesdroppers were the last thing on their minds.

Harry was clearly upset and humiliated.  His face was red, his arms crossed protectively over his chest, where he found more comfort in his own feet than his best friend's eyes.

Louis on the other hand was frustrated.  His whole body had struck a pose of alpha dominance, from his evenly spaced feet, to his rigid back and squared shoulders.  Even his hands (which had always been on the small side) seemed more masculine in this stance as he rubbed them together.

"You know you said something about fireworks?" Niall breathed noisily in Zayn's ear, his eyes wide as he watched the two boys glare at each other in the small room.  "I think Louis' lit the fuse!"

Zayn nodded but Niall's voice wasn't what he was straining to hear.  Inside the bedroom, Harry had just begun to speak.

 

"I can't believe that you would _humiliate_ me in front of a _medical_ _professional_!" Harry's voice bubbled with rage as he drew himself up to full height.  "I didn't think you would get so _possessive_ and _jealous_ to..."

"That's because you're _mine_!" Louis heard himself growl.  He had pretty much said the same to the ridiculous man earlier.  "I don't want anyone else laying a single filthy finger on you!"

Louis couldn't help but sarcastically mock as he quoted the beta doctor with exaggerated physical quotations.  "I just need to _stimulate_ your _prostate_... you might spontaneously _ejaculate_!"

Louis' lip curled with distaste.  "No fucking way was I going to let _that_ happen!"

 

Outside Niall let out a squeak, only muffled by his own fist, the fingers on his other hand dug into Zayn's arm.  This was better than even he had anticipated!  Surely they were only moments away from Larry make up sex!  A cuff around the ear from the alpha beside him shut him up entirely.  They couldn't risk being caught... Louis would slap them both silly!

 

"You have no qualms about letting someone else _intentionally_ _pleasure_ you!" Harry pointed out with a sarcastic cluck of his tongue.  " _You_ felt as though _you_ were perfectly within your rights to get some during your rut, but _I'm_ not allowed to spend my heat with anyone apart from _you_!  When did you become so _unequal_?  If I'm _yours_ then why aren't you _mine_?  Why do other omegas get to touch you?  It's _disgusting_!"

Louis faltered.  His world was crashing down around his ears and he felt powerless within his own skin.

"I'm disgusting?" he asked in a small voice.  He couldn't believe that his Harry couldn't understand what he had been trying to do - protect his virtue.

"Your morals are!" Harry stated with venom.  "What did you really expect?  For me to sit around and watch you fuck around until you've got it all out of your system and want to settle down with me?  Do you think I'm going to wait for you?  I love you so much Lou, but I can't do that to myself!  I'm worth more!"

 

"Fuck!" Zayn exhaled.  His eyes darted to where Niall was crouched, open mouthed beside him.  He almost couldn't believe his eyes, let alone his ears.  Harry never spoke to anyone like this, let alone Louis!  Harry was docile, sweet and loving like a kitten.  This Harry was a kitten on steroids and lived in the ghetto!  Who knew Harry was capable of acting like he was the one with the massive knot!

 

"Harry!"

Louis gasped in shock, which must have pulled Harry into focus because within seconds all his bravado just evaporated as though it had never been there.  Big green eyes searched his face, full of questions which Louis couldn't begin to identify.

"What do you _want_?" Harry asked on the verge of tears.

His legs gave way underneath him and he crumpled into a sitting position on the floor.  He felt so tired from his anger, stressed and miserable.  "Do you really want me?  Or are you just... I don't know... do you just not want anyone else to have me?"  Harry couldn't meet Louis' eyes.  He was terrified of what Louis' answer would be.  Every single life plan he had dangled over the edge of a cliff.  Louis' next words would be everything.

 

"I can't hear anything!" Niall squeaked.  "Harry's speaking too quietly!"

"Shhh!" Zayn grumbled.  He was straining to hear himself.  He just wanted to know.  Just wanted to keep the belief that Larry was real.

 

"I want you." 

Harry didn't even lift his head.  Louis had fallen to his knees and had wrapped his arms fully around it, pressing kiss upon kiss into his hair.

"I promise babe, there's _no_ _one_ else I want more than _you_!  I _love_ you so much!  I _want_ you so much!  I _need_ you!"

Harry opened his eyes and stared up at Louis through his eyelashes.  He hadn't realised he'd been crying until he realised how raw his cheeks felt, how sore it was to even crack his eyes open.

"Then you need to prove it," Harry snuffled quietly as Louis tightened his grasp around his shoulders.

"I want promises and commitments.  I want you to prove to me that you mean what you say.  I can't have a relationship with someone who says one thing and does another.  I just can't Lou.  I love you, but it's not fair!"

"I'll do anything," Louis gasped out.  His voice was muffled by the fierce kisses he pressed to his boys' cheeks and forehead.  "Anything you want.  I love you so much Harry, you are my whole world..."

"Prove it," Harry requested simply and for the first time wrapped his arms around Louis' waist and pulled him close.  He could feel the alpha hyperventilating even stronger now that their chests were pressed together.

"What do I have to do?" Louis asked, his lips spoke right into Harry's neck where he had stuffed his face. "Tell me babe, I'll do anything.  Whatever you ask, I'll do.  I promise."

Harry swallowed.

"Just one thing," he whispered and all of a sudden in Louis' eyes he had never looked both yet so young and innocent, yet so strong and sure of himself.  Harry really was growing up... quicker than he had anticipated.

"What is it?  I promise Harry, I'll do anything!"

Harry swallowed again.  "No more sex with random omegas or _Eleanor_ ," he stated with a huff.  "I can't take it anymore Lou.  I don't want to feel as though I'm not good enough.  I don't want to question why you won't commit to me when it's obvious that I am committed to you."

Harry smiled sadly at Louis, his fingers smoothed the fringe which was stuck up in a tuft.  

"That's why I was getting the suppressants," he explained with a hint of wistfulness.  "I wanted to prove to you that I wasn't going to be interested in anyone else whilst I was at college.  I didn't want to worry you that I would find someone else whilst you're away."

"No sex," Louis nodded.  His expression somewhat distant.  "I promise.  No omega will touch me.  I won't touch them.  I won't fuck anyone."

"What about your ruts?" Harry asked shrewdly.  If he was to do this right, he would need to make sure there were no loop holes.

Louis' eyes darted back and forth but he nodded in acceptance.

"I can do that.  I can sort something out."

Harry nodded slowly.  "Now you need to prove it," he whispered.  "I'm not going to keep tabs on you.  I'm not going to constantly question where you are, or who you're with.  I trust you to do the right thing."

Louis couldn't hold his head still.  All he could do was nod.  This was easy.  Everything would be fine.  There were so many words he wanted to say.  So much he wanted to tell Harry.  But it just wasn't appropriate now.  One day it would be.  But not today.

"Are we going to be alright?" he asked quietly as he stroked Harry's cheek with the tip of his finger.  The last few days had been so bleak, so dark, both lads brooding over every single unsaid word, until it had come to a head.  

"I wrote a song about you," Harry needlessly confessed.  He moved as he spoke to lie down with his head on top of Louis' thighs.  The alpha's fingers automatically tangled in his hair, scratched lightly at the scalp.  Harry could pretty much purr with relief.  

"Niall suggested that I wrote my feelings down.  He said it might make me feel better if I just sung about it." Harry continued in a small voice.

"Did it work?" Louis asked.  He could still hear the lyrics in his head.  Even though he had only heard them once.

Harry nodded.  "It was what I couldn't tell you.  What I wanted you to know, but couldn't say to your face."

"Why are you so worried about speaking to my face?" Louis asked genuinely puzzled.  "We talk about everything!"

"I didn't want to admit that I was jealous," Harry admitted, finally able to look into Louis' eyes instead of fixating his vision on the bridge of his nose.  "But I was.  And I was angry that you have everything you need right in front of you, but you won't take it," he shrugged.  "You have to earn it now."

"Trust me babe, I will," Louis promised.  "You have no idea what I will put myself through to be with you."

Harry nuzzled into Louis' tummy.  He didn't want to talk anymore.  He wanted to fast forward to the day where he and Louis were together.

By rights it should have happened already, but Louis had always told Harry to take no shit from anyone... including Louis himself.

Harry would never realise exactly how much Louis' heart had swollen with pride at how he had stood up to the superior alpha that day.  How much more Louis respected him for laying down the line and demanding what he deserved.

"Can we cuddle up and go to sleep?" Louis asked quietly.  He had missed his little omega being in his arms when he was on the brink of sleep.  He never realised how big their bed actually was until he had been faced with the large gap between the two of them at night.

Harry nodded with a hint of a smile.  He had missed Louis so much.  He didn't want to admit how he had barely slept the last few nights.  Having his best friend so close and yet so far had made him want to cry too many times to count.

"I really will prove it to you," Louis promised as he gathered Harry and his long limbs into his arms and eased himself into a standing position to carry his very sleepy boy to bed.

"You'd better," Harry murmured and breathed in the scent of home which wafted from Louis' skin.  "I didn't just confess my darkest fears for you to become a _weak_ _Larry_!"

"What's a weak Larry?" asked Louis with a frown.  Harry just laughed at him softly and snuggled into his arms.  Louis could work that one out on his own!  He had to admit he was surprised though, Niall didn't exactly keep his voice down. 

 

"They're snuggling," Zayn reported to Niall who had his eyes closed in silent prayer.  "I don't think they're gonna shag."

Niall grumbled with his thickest accent.  "Why do they keep leading me on like this?" he complained with a pout.  "Don't they realise how much this means to me?"

The rain had started to bother Zayn.  His clothes clung to his skin, his hair was plastered to his forehead.  They could no longer hear what the pair were talking about.  

"I don't think your feels are their priority right now mate," he said with an eye roll. "I think I'm gonna win the bet!"

"Shut up!" Niall scoffed and gave Zayn's shoulder a playful shove.  Dirt smeared from his fingers onto Zayn's coat.

"You did not just get me dirty!" Zayn exclaimed louder than a whisper as he strained his eyes to see the extent of the damage to his favourite jacket.  He hated it when his clothes were dirty... and Niall knew it!

"Whoops!" Niall grinned, his eyes danced in the partial darkness as he pulled a fistful of leaves off a nearby bush.  "Sorry about that!"

Zayn yelped as Niall lunged forward and shoved the wet foliage down the front of his top.

"You little shit!" Zayn gasped out loud.  Then he leapt forward and grabbed the younger alpha in a headlock.

Amongst the grunts, groans and giggles from the two alphas, neither of them noticed Harry and Louis approach their bedroom window to see what the commotion was about.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing!" Louis asked in astonishment after he had opened the window.  "It's pissing it down!"

Niall and Zayn exchanged guilty glances.  What on earth were they going to come up with as an excuse?  

But then Niall zoned in on how Harry was cuddled into Louis side, both of them looked equally confused, but Niall had no interest in that.  What made him smile was that he could see how Louis' hand was wrapped around Harry's waist, with his fingers underneath the omega's t-shirt.  Niall could see how gently he was caressing over the top of his rib cage.  He could also see how Harry had rested his head against Louis' shoulder and smiled contentedly.

There was only one thing Niall could do in this situation.

"Larry is real!"

Niall shouted the words into their surprised faces, well aware of Zayn's mouth drop in astonishment.  Then he let out a slightly hysterical laugh at his own cheek and ran off, his trainers making him skid through the mud.

Louis glared at Zayn with annoyance.  What were these two up to?

"So, Niall has issues," Zayn commented.  He turned to walk away, but a thought struck him and he retreated to the open window.  "If I come inside are you going to be a dick?"

"Louis' busy," Harry answered for his alpha, with a kind smile for Zayn.  "You don't have to sleep with one eye open tonight!"

Zayn raised his eyebrows.  Like Louis would be able to do anything to him in his sleep!

"Just fuck off would you?" Louis told him with an air of irritation.  "Harry and I are having a private conversation!" his eyes narrowed dangerously.  "You had better not have been listening Malik!"

"Like I have any interest in what you have to say," Zayn scoffed, then shoved his hands in his pockets and stalked off to where Niall was hidden behind a bush doing some new type of celebration jig.

"You're a dick!" Zayn growled at him.  "Fancy saying that in _front_ of them!"

Niall didn't even bother to hide his glee.

"I don't care what you say because Larry is real!" he announced in a proud whisper.  "Now if you excuse me, I'm going to go drink some tea and put another 'anon' post on tumblr!"

"You don't even drink tea," Zayn groaned.  "Why are you..."

"All Larries drink tea!" Niall stated as though it was the most obvious fact in the world.  "We drink tea, post pictures of Louis and Harry together, talk about how beautiful they are and dance around in our bubble of happiness!  You should be doing it too really!"

"Do you ever post photos?" Zayn asked suspiciously as he thought about the content that Niall liked to view online.

Niall blinked at him completely clueless.  If Zayn didn't know him so well he would have believed him.

"So, that YouTube video... 30 Iconic Larry Moments... you have no idea where that came from?  Because it didn't just pop out of thin air."

Niall whistled.  "I think I should go to bed," he feigned a yawn.  "I'm so tired!"

Zayn shook his head in disbelief.  He should have realised sooner.  He really was working with a mastermind.  Niall was better at publicising Larry than their management would be at plugging their next album!

"You know what?" Niall grinned as he searched his pockets for his key to the front door.  "If those two don't get their acts together soon I might start spamming their Twitter with photos of them kissing!  You know for inspiration!"

"Eh?" Zayn was very confused.  "You have photos of them _kissing_? _When_?"

"Photoshop!  I'm pretty skilled at it!  They actually look realistic!"

"Don't you think that's a bit over the line?  What do you think that is going to achieve?" Zayn asked incredulously.

"I'm sick of them wasting time and waiting around for nothing!" Niall groaned as he finally found his key.  "They deserve to be happy and in love!  And I deserve to see it happen!"

As much as Zayn questioned Niall's methods, he couldn't help but agree.  He was tired of waiting for something to happen.  Harry only had four days left with them before he had to go home and start college.

One of them _had_ to make a move... soon...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I think we all feel a bit like Niall and Zayn at the close of this chapter. Without giving too much away (and at the risk of being incredibly cryptic) I think Captain Niall will be very interested in chapter thirteen! (wink)  
> By the way: The lyrics are not my own, they are from one of my favourite songs called 'What You Need Is..." by Sinead Quinn. They just fitted so well!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome (finally) to chapter thirteen!
> 
> I just wanted to say thank you very much for being so kind and patient with me regarding this chapter. I have appreciated each and every kudos, comment and subscription received since the last chapter was posted. Thank you very much. I'm still overwhelmed that we have received over 500 kudos!!!
> 
> I haven't had the best few months and there were quite a few days where I couldn't muster the enthusiasm to write at all. Fortunately I have a very good friend who (even though she lives thousands of miles from me) has been kind enough to support me through all the rough spots, whilst giving me encouragement, letting me have a rant and cheering me up at the end of a bad day. Without her, it would have been a long time before I was able to put pen to paper, but thanks to her I believe in myself once again.
> 
> I really hope you enjoy this chapter and it was worth the wait. Thank you for sticking with me.
> 
> Lots of love and take care xxx

_"Babe, don't worry!  You'll be ok I promise.  It's always tough at the beginning, but soon it will feel as though you've always been there."_

Louis' words echoed around in Harry's thoughts as he approached the long drive way that led to what could be considered his new second home.  It was Harry's first day at college, and he was nervous, his insides as jittery as though he'd consumed at least six mugs of coffee.  

School had never been the happiest place for Harry.  He had never made any real friends, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as he spotted other students gathered in small groups.  They were lucky.  They had like-minded people to share their fears and worries with.  Or maybe they didn't even feel scared, because they knew they had each other.

Harry wished that his best friend was with him right now.  He would do anything to have Louis by his side, hold his hand, soothe away his worries with the special tone of voice Louis saved exclusively for Harry, as he said all the right words to put the young omega at ease.  

But the timing was all wrong.  One Direction were on the cusp of releasing their new album.  Which meant interviews, television performances and travelling the length and breadth of Europe and America.  As much as Louis had desperately wanted to be by Harry's side for his big day, he just couldn't skip work for it.  There were too many people he would be letting down.  

Besides, Harry wanted to stand on his own two feet.  Louis wasn't his crutch and he didn't want to be completely dependent on the alpha.  It was actually funny in hindsight, how a conversation on how Harry was dreading his first day at college, had turned into reassuring Louis that being with the band was the right thing and that Harry would feel equally supported even though they were miles apart.  It wasn't even a lie.  The text message Harry had received from Louis as he stood awkwardly in the drive instantly made him feel as though Louis really was by his side.

_Good luck babe!  Thinking of you (as always)!  Can't wait to hear all about it tonight.  I'm so proud.  Love you xxx_

 

Harry's new college was based inside a large manor house on the edge of town, and situated a stone throw away from his old school.  Most of the students in his year seemed to be here too, dressed in brand new clothes, carrying box-fresh bags - which if they were anything like Harry - filled with fresh pads of paper and new pens.

Harry had already memorised the letter he had received regarding his first day.  The last thing he had wanted to do was turn up late, at the wrong place or miss the whole thing because he couldn't remember where he was supposed to be.  

His first port of call would be the student lounge where he would be given his new timetable for the year, which he was very excited about.  He had been fortunate to be accepted in all the classes he had applied for, and although his choices hadn't received the most enthusiastic response from his family, Harry was very happy with them.  

To be fair, he had picked rather a hotchpotch of topics, which clearly demonstrated that he didn't have an 'end game' in mind, but it was hard to figure out what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.  Once again, he relied upon Louis' words of wisdom to steer him in the right direction.

Louis had always told Harry that it was important to have options, and as many different choices as he could when he didn't know what he wanted.  If he picked things that he really liked, there was a high possibility that one of them would turn out to be something he loved.  Which was why it had felt like a no-brainer to apply for Food Technology, English Literature and Photography.  They were all things he enjoyed outside of school, and subjects he was certain he would be good at.  Maybe he would also be in the same classes as some like-minded people to be friends with.  When he had voiced this on his Twitter account the majority had seemed to agree with him.  That was a good start.  Although, they also had the same enthusiastic response when he had casually tweeted that he had a craving for a caramel latte!

 

The student lounge was easier to find than he had anticipated.  All he had to do was follow everyone else and the large printed signs with arrows.  The large space in front of him was filled with mismatched settees and low tables, vending machines in one corner, and a huge notice board filled with colourful posters.  A great deal of students was there already, most in tight clusters, occupying every chair in the place.  Harry tried to make himself as small as possible and wondered where he should stand, where he wouldn't be in the way.

"You all right mate?"

Harry had just been staring into space, but an unfamiliar voice cut into his musings, and suddenly there was a boy in his vision.

The boy was sitting very close to him on one of the larger settees in the room.  Harry didn't recognise either him or the people he was sitting with.  Immediately he thought that the boy must be talking to someone behind him, his head whipped around to check.  No-one was there, just the wall.

Harry glanced back at the lad with the black haired quiff with a questioning expression, who just grinned back with a cocky half smile.

"You look a bit lonely," he said as he stated the obvious.  "Can't be having that!  Come talk to us." The lad patted the arm of the settee as an invitation.  

Harry could barely speak, let alone say no.  Instead he mustered a weak smile and shuffled over to the group.

"I'm Nick Grimshaw."  The lad introduced himself as he made room for Harry to sit beside him, and pointed around the circle at each one of his friends.  "This is Ed Sheeran and Cara Delevingne."

The other lad nodded towards Harry with a cheerful, shy smile.  Cara gave him a little wave, and Harry could feel a little bit of tension leave his shoulders as he acclimatised to the relaxed atmosphere the three of them radiated as a group.

"I'm Harry Styles."  

Nick grinned.  "Cool.  So, did you go to Coombeshead?" Nick asked him as he named one of the two major and local secondary schools.  "We all went to Knowles Hill."

Harry raised his eyebrows at this bit of information.  Knowles Hill was the other main secondary school in their town.  They were situated almost next door to each other and educational wise probably weren't that different.  The main differences were that Coombeshead's uniform had been green, and Knowles Hill had been blue.  Oh, and the kids from Knowles Hill were more likely to beat you up in the underpass for your lunch money!

However, these people didn't look the sort to beat anyone up.

A teacher had entered the lounge and called for attention.  Immediately all thoughts of the past fled from Harry's mind as he listened to the welcome speech.

At the end it was time for them to collect their welcome packs.  Each apparently included their new schedule for their classes, a map of the site, their allocated locker number, key and a magazine advertising events happening at the college.

"What have you got?" Nick asked as he peered over Harry's shoulder.  "I haven't got a class till Wednesday!" he grinned.  "Didn't expect to get two extra days off."

Harry studied his new time table.  As it turned out he didn't have a class until 9am the next day.  

"Double photography tomorrow morning," Harry replied as he absorbed the plan in his hands.  "Double food tech in the afternoon."

"Cool, you've got a class with Ed!" Nick enthused in his drawling accent.  "He's taking photography too.  See, you're making friends already!"

Harry frowned.  That was a curious comment to come out with.  What made this Nick guy think he didn't have many friends?  Harry was about to ask, but Nick was already announcing to his ginger haired friend all about the class he was going to share with Harry.

"Ok boys, I've got double textiles.  Meet for lunch?"

Cara had strutted up to them briefly, then disappeared with another girl.  Harry couldn't help but notice how impeccably dressed she was.  Even though she only wore casual jeans and a striped top, minimal make-up with her long hair flowing straight and free, it was the way she carried herself that oozed style and confidence.  She was one of those girls who were just effortlessly flawless.  Her accent surprised Harry though.  He had to admit he hadn't been expecting it to be so posh.

"She's our little fashionista!" Nick grinned at him.  "You should add some of her designs... your mind would be blown!"

Harry nodded quietly.  He wasn't exactly sure what to say.  He still didn't quite understand why Nick was still talking to him.  He wasn't exactly interesting.

"Starbucks?"

"Hmm?" Harry's mind must have wandered.  Starbucks?

Nick smirked and rolled his eyes at Ed.  But it was perceived kindly.

"Come along H," Nick grabbed Harry's shoulder and propelled him towards the front door.  "Let's go and get aquatinted over a caffeinated beverage.  You're a caramel latte guy I bet!"

It was such a lucky guess, but it was absolutely right.  Harry grinned.  Maybe he really was about to make a couple of new friends!

 

"I had the most amazing day!" Harry babbled over the phone to Louis that evening.  "First we went for a Starbucks, then Nick said he wanted to..."

"Who's Nick?" Louis interrupted instantly.  He had expected that Harry was going to tell him all about his first day at college.

"Grimmy!" Harry chuckled and barely paused for breath before he launched head first into an explanation.  "I met him in the student lounge today.  He is hilarious!  He wants to be a radio presenter, so he's in all these media classes.  His mate Ed is in my photography class..."

"Ed?" Louis' head was in a spin.  Where did all these males come from?

"Looouuu!  I wish you would pay attention!" Harry whined.  "Ed is in my photography class."

"But where did he come from?" Louis asked patiently, although he pinched the bridge of his nose with his eyes shut.  "Babe, you're just throwing all these names about..."

Harry just grinned, cuddled up to Boo the hedgehog and pressed his phone closer to his ear.  He had missed Louis so much, it was so good to hear his voice.

"Ok.  So, anyway, Nick wanted some new jeans after we had our coffee, so we went shopping." 

Louis could hear the excitement so clearly in his baby's voice.  It was so endearing, but at the same time he felt a little bit jealous...

"It was so much fun Lou!"  Harry was still yakking away.  "Nick has such good taste in clothes... then again, he is besties with Cara - who is amazing by the way - and she dresses like a model!"

Now Louis really was confused.  Who the fuck was Cara?  

"I'm so happy Lou!" Harry finally finished, blissfully unaware that Louis had been barely listening to him and his monologue about new and wonderful people.  "I think I might actually have made some friends!  Real friends Lou!  And they are so nice!  I can't wait for you to meet them!"

"Did you tell them about me?" Louis asked hesitantly with a hint of concern.  Harry was a sweet and shy omega who could be easily led and influenced.  He didn't want a bunch of opportunistic jerks to take advantage of him.

Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably.  "Erm... no..." he told Louis carefully.  "I... well... we were kind of talking about classes... and they were telling me stories... you didn't exactly come up in the conversation."

It should have relieved Louis.  Instead it made him feel a bit sad.  Harry hadn't mentioned his best friend?  That must be a first!  He prayed that this wasn't going to go the way he feared.  This was not their story!  Harry didn't go to college and drift away from him!  His heart pounded in his chest.

"I love you Lou." 

Louis let out the deep breath he was holding, instantly relieved.

"I love you too Haz." Louis paused.  "I'm glad you made some friends.  You deserve some good people around you."

Louis thought he was being pretty generous.  He had always encouraged Harry to be his own person, have his own interests and friends... maybe college would be the making of Harry... he refused to question the young omega if any of them had presented as an alpha!  Louis didn't think his mental state could handle it!

 

Compared to how his life at secondary school had been, Harry settled into the swing of college with ease. His classes were enjoyable and on the right side of challenging whilst staying entertaining, and now he had a group of people who he could actually call really good friends to share it all with.

Harry loved how he had a friend in Ed to go to photography class with, discuss project ideas and mess around with their cameras. He loved how Cara and Nick would go for Starbucks in free periods, pour over fashion magazines and talk and laugh about the smallest things, which in a group situation were all the more entertaining.

Most of all Harry enjoyed how it felt to fit in with a group of people other than the members of One Direction.  Of course Louis would always be Harry's favourite by far, he always got so excited during his nightly phone calls to his best friend.  It was when he would tell the elder alpha all about his new experiences. There was always so much to tell him. Sometimes Harry would forget to breathe in between sentences, and all Louis heard was a jumble of random words, but they were said with such delight and enthusiasm that Louis couldn't bear to interrupt him.

Louis however felt torn over his emotions when it came to his little omega and his new found path to adulthood.  On one hand he was ecstatic that Harry was happy and enjoying the next chapter in his life, but on the other hand it weighed heavily on his mind that he was helplessly detached from experiencing it with him.  Apart from their phone calls and texts, because of how busy the band was they couldn't actually do anything together.

 

It had taken Harry a while to pluck up the courage to talk to his new friends about Liam Payne being his brother and Louis Tomlinson being his best mate.  It wasn't something you could just throw into a conversation, and Harry was so happy to have friends who liked him just because he was Harry, made him reluctant to mention it.  However, over the last few months their friendship had only grown stronger, and to be honest Harry really wanted to share with his new friends.  He wanted to voice how proud he was of One Direction and their members.  He wanted to be able to tell them funny stories without having to think up fake names or pretend he had forgotten the rest of his tale half way through.

In the end it turned out that he hadn't been the only one agonising.

"If we're having a meet and greet I really need to get some new skinnies," Nick stated as he smacked his lips after his last mouthful of coffee.  He picked at a loose thread on his shirt.  "Maybe a new shirt as well.  This one is literally falling apart at the seams!"

"Meet and greet?" Harry asked with a frown, and looked up from the fashion magazine he had been browsing.  "With who?  For your radio show?"

"They're coming home after the tour aren't they?" Nick asked.  He was in a full on attempt to act nonchalant, which had rather dismal results.  Now Harry understood why the lad hadn't taken drama.

Harry on the other hand had a well-practiced poker face.

"Tour?" he asked, his green eyes full of innocence.

Nick rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Alright, alright," he stated with his trademark smirk.  "I'm expecting to meet at least two of 1D when they come home.  I know that Liam is your brother and I know you and Louis are pretty much attached at the hip..."

"What?  How?" Harry asked in astonishment.  He had not expected this revelation.

Nick rolled his eyes again.

"I follow you on Twitter mate," Nick grinned sheepishly.  It occurred to Harry that he had never seen his friend look embarrassed about anything before.  "Long before we actually met." Nick actually blushed.  "I kinda had a thing for Zayn, and you know what it's like to be a Directioner - you follow anyone with even the remotest connection to the lads!"

A smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.  "Besides, after you posted that beauty shot of Zayn topless at the beach, how could I not follow you!"  The smirk quickly turned into a frown.  "To be honest I'm a little hurt that you hadn't told me about them, considering they are such a big part of your life.  We've all talked about it.  I was actually nominated to have the chat with you."

Harry opened his mouth to explain.  But then he shrugged, rolled his eyes and returned to his magazine.

"Well, consider it confirmed," he said finally.  Then pointed at a pair of skinnies on the page in an attempt to change the subject.  In all honesty he wasn't sure what his response was meant to be.  "These would look good on you."

Nick agreed without a glance at the advert.  "So, we're all good?  We get to meet the lads?  You don't have to worry, we won't embarrass you."

"What if you meet Zayn?" Harry pondered aloud.

Nick snorted.  "Oh, I'll _definitely_ embarrass you!" He laughed.  "Liam seems really cool, same with Niall."

"I can't wait for you to meet Lou," Harry enthused.  The more he thought about it, the bigger the smile it brought to his face as he imagined having all his favourite people together in one room.  "You're gonna love him so much!  Trust me, he will be your new favourite in no time!"

Harry was so busy daydreaming that he didn't notice how Nick looked far from enthusiastic at the thought of meeting Louis, and instead changed the subject.  "You gonna follow me back on Twitter then?"

Harry fumbled with his phone and logged onto his account where he briefly read some of his notifications and laughed out loud at a couple of tweets.  Directioners could really be some of the funniest people on social media.

"There is something that Ed and I have been wondering, for obvious reasons," Nick continued as he pulled on his leather jacket so they could go shopping.  "Is Larry real?"

Harry stuttered, blushed and shuffled his feet uncomfortably.

"It's complicated," he finally said quietly.  "Erm... we..."

" _Larry's real_?" 

Nick actually looked shocked.  "Mate, I was only kidding!  Thought it was just some joke that got out of hand!  Are you _seriously_ telling me that you and Lou..."

"Shh!" Harry hissed uncomfortably.  "Can we just not?  I'll talk to you about it, but not here."

Nick nodded agreeably and guided Harry outside with a hand upon his shoulder.  "Retail therapy first, heart to heart later."

 _This is going to be enlightening!_  Nick thought to himself darkly.

 

"Be honest, do you think these are too baggy on me?" 

Harry looked up from his phone as Nick pushed the curtain to the dressing room aside and strutted towards him, wearing the tightest pair of denim jeans Harry had ever seen.  He grinned as Nick struck a pose.

"They look great mate," he said with a nod of approval after inspecting them from all angles.  "Especially with those boots."

Nick smiled to himself as he held out a foot for Harry to take a proper look at.  They were black leather that zipped up to the ankle and made for a very pleasing style of footwear.

"You know," Nick commented with a thoughtful expression as he eyed Harry's own baggy jeans and oversized trainers, "y _ou_ would look really good in skinny jeans and boots.  Why don't you try some on?"

"Nah," Harry shook his head with embarrassment.  It was true that he had been eyeing Nick's outfit, as well as some of the other clothes in the shop with the glad eye.  Maybe it was because he had been hanging out with such fashion conscious people lately, but Harry had started to gain a slight interest in clothes, and helping Nick piece together outfits was now one of his favourite activities.  As much as he liked his Jack Wills t-shirts and hoodies, he felt clumpy next to his stylish new friends.

Nick quickly changed back into his own clothes and tucked the pair of skinnies under his arm to buy later.  Right now he had a new project, to _style_ Harry Styles!

With minimal protesting, Harry trailed after Nick as he sashayed through the aisles and picked up a couple of pairs of skinny jeans and a couple of random shirts.

"Just try them on," he coaxed as he took control of Harry's arms and steered him back towards the changing rooms.  "You've got a killer set of legs bro.  It's a waste to keep them hidden!"

Nick was right.  Harry's legs looked incredible in the confines of the tight fabric, and he couldn't help but smirk to himself as he imagined Louis' face when he set eyes on just how _good_ his ass looked in them!  His trainers looked all wrong though...

"Nick?" Harry called out distractedly.  "Grab me a pair of ankle boots?  I look like I've got Sideshow Bob feet in these!"

 

A few hours later, after Harry had come back to Nick's place loaded down with bags of new clothes, boots and accessories after a successful afternoon shopping, Harry sat down with his friend and told him everything.  How much he loved Louis, how much Louis loved him in return, his hopes and dreams for the future and the things he had learnt through the fights they'd had.  Nick was patient and considerate throughout.  He didn't interrupt or even pass comment.  But on the whole he was shocked.  It stunned him all the more to realise that Harry was blind to everything that was wrong with what he ultimately wanted.

Nick had never liked Louis Tomlinson.  He read the papers, he saw the reports written in the tabloids about the alpha's indiscretions and omega-ising.  It was actually sickening to believe that someone as sweet as Harry could be so naive that he couldn't see that Louis' flaws were huge red warning signs.  Harry didn't deserve someone like that, and from what he had told Nick, it just sounded as though Louis was playing the young omega like a fiddle!  He would have to talk to Ed.  Ed liked Harry.  The pair would have to work together to make sure that Harry transferred his affections elsewhere.

Harry was of course oblivious to his friend's thoughts.  He just chattered on as he tried on his new clothes, full of stories of how wonderful Louis was and all the fun they had together.  Nick barely listened.  He was too busy scheming how to get Louis out, and Ed in!

 

 

"So?  What's the plan Batman?" Liam asked a very jubilant Louis as they hopped into the nearest taxi.  Louis bounced in his seat.  He didn't give a shit if he looked like a kid!  

"Gonna meet H at college!" Louis enthused with his brightest smile, which was all teeth and crinkled eyes.  "You have no fucking idea how much I've missed him!" he groaned with longing.  "How the fuck did we get through _four_ whole months?  Do you realise that apart from that one week at Christmas I haven't even seen Harry since the summer!"

Liam groaned.  He was well aware of how long it had been since his little brother and Louis had last seen each other.  Louis had kept him updated with the number of days apart ever since the morning after they had left.  It was now _April_.  It had been a _very_ long four months for all concerned.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Liam commented dryly.  "I bet you could buy a town house with the size of your phone bill!"

Louis glared at him.  "I have you know, your brother is worth every penny!"  His smile quickly returned as he flicked through the last few messages the young omega had sent to him within the last few hours he'd been on the plane, each stating how excited Harry was to see him, reminding him where they would meet and cryptic hints about what they were going to do for Louis' first night back in town.

Louis honestly didn't care what they did in the slightest.  As long as the evening ended with bedtime cuddles, Louis was up for anything.  He just wanted to see his boy's face again.  Louis' heart had ached for so many weeks just to see his boy, and although he had begged for pictures, Harry seemed to have turned into fully functioning photographer mode and only sent black and white shots of fields and bridges.  It wasn't that Louis didn't appreciate the thoughts behind the photographs, and he was ecstatic that Harry was supposedly having the time of his life at college... he just missed his face.  When Louis was having a bad day, sometimes it was just the thought of Harry's dimpled smile that got him through it.

The taxi pulled up at the side of the road outside the college.  As he slipped on his sunglasses Louis gave Liam's forearm one last delighted pinch with a hurried goodbye and hopped out of the car.  He barely paused to slam the door shut before he had called his favourite boy.

"Where are you?" Harry demanded as a greeting.  "Are you here yet?"

"Just outside," Louis confirmed.  He craned his neck and stood on his tiptoes to scan the clusters of students for the familiar curly head he loved so much.  "Where are..."

"Guys!  He's outside the college!" 

Louis grinned to himself as he heard Harry squawk the news to whoever he was with.

"Lou?  We've just gone to get some drinks from the shop!" Harry explained hurriedly.  The sound of passing traffic filled Louis' ear as Harry undoubtedly crossed a road.  "But we will be with you in under two minutes I promise!"

"No rush babe," Louis grinned fondly as he perched on a nearby wall.  "Just stay on the phone would you?  I'm getting a couple of odd looks."

"That's 'cos you're a megastar!" Harry bubbled with pride.  "Just come back down the drive and we'll meet you across the street!  I can't wait to see you!"

"Me too babycakes."

Louis quickened his pace until he was almost at a jog as he moved down the college's drive and back onto the street.  "What direction are you coming from?" he asked as he looked around.

"Just the _one_!"

"Babe that was shit!"  Louis couldn't help but laugh over Harry's poor pun.  The sound of the young omega's laughter was music to his ears.  He couldn't wait to cuddle him!

Further down the road he could see a small group of lads walking up towards him.  At first he dismissed the ginger lad, the tall guy with the quiff and the young lad on the phone because none of them looked remotely Harry shaped.  Where was his baby?

"I can see you!" Harry suddenly drawled in his ear.  "Some bestie you are!  You just looked right through me!"

Louis' head whipped around, the hand which wasn't holding his phone fumbled to take his sunglasses off to scrutinise the three lads waiting to cross the road.  He could actually see Harry now, especially when the lad waved... he could just hardly believe his eyes.

It had only been four months!  How could someone change so much in four months?

Louis' eyes almost bugged out of their sockets, his mouth dried and partly hung open in disbelief, as his gaze gradually worked its way over his omega, the image in front of him overriding the memories in his mind.  Almost everything was different, and poor Louis just had no idea how to react.  How could he have missed this much?  What had been going on whilst he had been away?

Harry had most definitely grown taller, or was it just that he was now wearing skinny jeans that seemed to elongate his lean legs in all the right places.  Fuck Harry looked good in tight trousers!  Instead of his usual large and casual hoodie, Harry could have stepped out of a billboard advert.  The word was style - and as bad a pun as it was - Harry had it.  And something else... confidence.  Even from this far away, Louis could just sense it.  He felt flustered and torn between lustful over the beautiful man, and completely left out of Harry's new life, which had undoubtedly had quite the effect.

"Lou!"

Harry stuffed the phone into the bag slung over his shoulder and ran as fast as his legs could carry him in order to cover the distance between them as quickly as possible, and threw himself into the alphas arms.

Louis could confirm that Harry had indeed grown, a good couple of inches by how he now had to tilt his head upwards slightly to hook his chin over Harry's shoulder instead of inclining down.  

"Have you been working out?" Louis asked with amazement.  Deaf to the sniggers from one of Harry's friends, Louis pulled back and blatantly squeezed Harry's upper arms with both his hands.  They were definitely toned, and when they had hugged and Louis' fingers had grasped at his shoulder blades, the surrounding muscle was firmer.

Harry couldn't have looked more delighted if he had tried, and positively beamed at his best friend.

"Been going to the gym with these two," he smiled happily.  "We go three times a week."  

A frown interrupted his pretty face from shining.  "I thought I told you," he muttered with confusion, but shook his head to dismiss his thoughts.  "Oh, well.  I must have been too excited to tell you everything else going on."

"Maybe he was too busy to listen," the guy with the quiff whispered out of the side of his mouth.

Louis frowned.  Who was this kid anyway?

"So, you got a class to get to?" he asked with a forced air of nonchalance as he pointedly slipped his arm around Harry's waist.  "Don't let our reunion distract you from your day."

Harry giggled and poked Louis playfully on the cheek.

"Isn't he funny!" he said to the quiff tosser and ginger, pointing to each of them in turn. "Lou, this is Ed and Nick!"  

Louis' heart sank.  He already felt hostile towards Nick for that sly comment he'd overheard.  Now he had to find out that this was the guy that Harry had been raving about for months?  For fucks sake!

As Harry yapped away to Louis about how wonderful his new friends were and how excited he was about them all being able to hang out together, the elder alpha found himself being taken by the hand and walked away from the college towards town.  Apparently they were going to their favourite coffee shop.  But it wasn't his and Harry's favourite.  It was a new favourite.  Surely it wasn't a bad thing that Louis was a little bothered by this.

 

"I'm so glad you're here!" Harry whispered to Louis as they queued for their drinks, a soppy grin stretched his cheeks.  "You have no idea how much I've missed you Lou.  Everything just feels complete now you're here!  I've got so many surprises for you!"

Louis felt the small amount of hostility towards the hipster - otherwise known as Nick - melt away as Harry pulled him into a sudden hug, and breathed in deeply.  He had been longing to smell his boys natural scent for such a long time, and had been too distracted by muscle mass to do so earlier.  But as he breathed in, a different realisation began to bother him.

"Are you wearing cologne?" Louis asked, his face once again creased with confusion.  Since when did Harry wear cologne?  He smelt perfect on his own!

"Oh yeah!" Harry giggled adorably as he jabbed Nick in the ribs with a touch too much enthusiasm.  "Nick brought it for me for my birthday..."

"The one you were too busy to attend," Nick snidely input as he leaned in to ruffle Harry's hair.  "Such a shame you had better things to do..."

"Erm, it's called work!" Louis snapped with disdain and turned to Harry immediately.  "You know if I could have flown back I would have done, but we had those shows to do in Japan and..."

"Lou, he's only messing," Harry rushed to soothe the irritated alpha.  "I know if you could have been at my birthday you would have.  The shows were very important for the band, and you know how much I support you!" He lowered his voice a fraction.  "You would have hated what we were up to anyway."

Louis bit his lip.  It was true.  He would have been bored rigid at the fashion show that Nick had managed to get tickets to for himself, their friend Cara and Harry.  But that wasn't the point!  If he had managed to get back for Harry's birthday, they would have done something together!  He hated how he had missed Harry's seventeenth birthday!  He hated how he couldn't be there with his baby whilst he opened his presents.  He felt as though he had let Harry down.  By the look on Nick's face, he wasn't the only one who thought so either!

"Don't even think about it!"

Louis started when Harry plucked his debit card out of his hand where he had automatically gone to pay for his and Harry's coffees.

"My treat," Harry insisted with the most gushy of tones, "because I missed ya!"

Louis rolled his eyes fondly, but he held his hands up in surrender and tucked his card back into his wallet.  There would be plenty of opportunity to spoil his boy later on.  But once again, that casual drawl - which was beginning to resemble finger nails on a blackboard - piped up.

"What a _cheapskate_!  H is on a fucking _budget_ and he can't even buy him a _coffee_?"

Louis' fingers clenched, one around his wallet in his hand, the other upon Harry's hip, which was a lot higher than it used to be - that bothered Louis no end.  Harry was busy counting out change to pay for their drinks.  He wanted to say something sarcastic that would cut Nick to shreds, but Harry had been so excited about him meeting his friends... Louis didn't want to upset his favourite lad.  Even if it would give him satisfaction.

Drinks in hand, Harry led the way towards two settees separated by a low table.  Thankfully Harry didn't even hesitate to sit right next to Louis, and Ed and Nick shared the one opposite.  Louis felt quite smug when he realised that Nick did not look pleased with the seating arrangements, especially when Harry grabbed Louis arm, slung it around his shoulders and proceeded to play with Louis' fingers.

"So?  Popstar?  When are you leaving for your next big thing?" Nick asked with forced friendliness.

"Not anytime soon!" Harry piped up happily as he gave Louis' hand a squeeze.  "I've got him all to myself for five whole days!"

"Wow!  What a marvellous ratio," Nick drawled with a smirk.  "Four months absent, five days home..."

"Well, it would be longer," Harry nodded. He seemed to have missed that little dig too, "but the band are going to be performing at the American Music Awards!" His face was so bright and almost burst into sparkles with pride.  "They are going to win so many awards!"

Louis laughed nervously as he felt Nick and Ed stare at him.

"I doubt we'll win babe," he uttered to Harry and ruffled the omega's fringe - which had lost a lot of its curl due to its length - with affection.  "We're up against some really talented people and..."

"Since when did talent and success come hand in hand?" Nick asked with a gulp of his coffee.

"Eh?" Harry looked confused and glanced between Louis and Nick as though he had realised for the first time that there was a problem.  

"He meant that in these awards sometimes the most talented are overlooked," quiet ginger Ed hurried to cover up for his mate.  "Which is why you guys don't get the appreciation you deserve."

Pleased and content with the answer, Harry grinned again and cuddled back into Louis' side.  Sceptical and suspicious, Louis concentrated on his own drink to hide the frown on his face.  

If it had been up to him, Louis would have spirited Harry away from these lads right from the first insult.  But Harry was just so happy and content in his familiar surroundings... which was great... but it left Louis feel out of place and unnecessary.  Even though Harry included him in every discussion, it unnerved him no end that there was so much going on in Harry's life that he had no clue about.  Little things.  Harry's new clothes, Harry's gym sessions with Ed, Harry's increase in height, Harry being a regular on Nick's student radio show.  He had never felt so distant from someone he felt so close to.

"Hey Harry!  I hoped I would find you here!"

A silvery female voice penetrated Louis' thoughts as a slim blonde girl - wearing the entire MAC range by the look of it - daintily stepped over his feet and perched upon Harry's knee and leant in to air-kiss his cheek!  What the fuck was this about?

"Hi Taylor," Harry smiled his usual polite smile.  "You were looking for me?"

"You and Ed," Taylor beamed at him and flicked at her hair with a perfectly manicured finger.  "I have a photographic _emergency_ and only you can help me fix it!  I really don't understand how to use the airbrush feature, and I really want to post some new selfies on Facebook!"

Louis' lip curled into a smirk.  Was this girl actually real?  Who wore high heels and hot pants unless you were going to dance on a pole?

"Do you mind?" Harry turned to ask him.  Taylor had just got her laptop out of her bag and had held it out to Harry with a dramatic pout on her vivid red lips.  He lowered his voice to a whisper and spoke right into Louis' ear.  "It'll give you some one-on-one time with Nick."

Louis groaned internally.  This was fantastic... not!

"Oh my _God_!" Taylor shrieked a moment later when she finally tore her puppy eyes from Harry's face.  "You're _Liam_!" 

Louis blinked in surprise as the ridiculous girl began to flap her hands in front of her face.  Even Harry eyed her as though he considered her to be slightly mad!

"Liam I am such a _huge_ fan of yours!" Taylor gushed as her phone appeared between her fingers, seemingly out of nowhere.  "You are such an _amazing_ writer!  You have no idea how much I loved _Chasing the Sun_!  It's like my favourite song!  It changed my view on music, and my _life_!"

Louis had never wanted to laugh so hard in his life!

"Why don't we go and check out your photos Tay?" Harry asked in a slightly strangled tone.  "I'm sure they won't need any air brushing at all if they are all of your pretty face."

"But I want a selfie with Liam!" Taylor protested as Ed leapt from his seat and pulled Taylor gently off Harry's knee.  "He's my favourite!"  Her nose twitched as she examined Louis' face.  "Although I don't see the family resemblance..."

"Who was that?" Louis hissed incredulously at Nick as he watched Harry and Ed steer her to a nearby table.

Nick leaned across the table and laughed loudly.  It seemed as though some common ground had been finally found.

"That's Taylor Swift," he explained.  "She's one of the popular girls at our college.  She even has a group of friends who call themselves _Swifties_!" he snorted again.  "I can't believe she actually mixed you up with Liam!"

"That's actually more common than you'd think," Louis amended thinking of previous fan meetings.  His expression changed to disgust.  "I can't believe she thought I wrote a song by _The_ _Wanted_!"

"Fake fan," Nick shrugged.  "She has a thing for Harry too.  She's always trying to get him to ask her out on a date.  Nothing to do with him as a person mind, I expect she thinks she could get some good publicity out of him considering his connections."

"Publicity?" Louis asked confused.  "For what?"

Nick smirked.  "She thinks of herself as a singer/songwriter legend in the making," he explained.  "She's actually in the process of recording an album believe it or not.  Not like it's going to go anywhere.  I'd never play her songs!"

"And that has what to do with Hazza?" Louis scoffed.  "I'm sorry, but he would never be used in that way to give someone a leg up in a bid to be famous.  I'd never fucking allow it!"

Nick shook his head with a bob of humour.  "You don't have to tell me that _Lewis_.  But you've seen how dumb she is - doesn't even realise he's not into girls!"

Louis cocked an eyebrow.  Did this mean that Harry had told Nick about him?  About them?  But if he had, why had Nick been so cold and nasty towards him?

"I've been trying to get him to accept Ed's invitation for a date," Nick continued without missing a beat.  "Ed absolutely dotes upon H."

Louis' eyes involuntary narrowed.  And there was the reason!  With teeth clenched to hold back a smart remark, his head slowly turned towards where Ed and Taylor were stood with Harry whilst he played about with effects on her photos. Now he actually thought about it, Ed stood much closer to Harry than he needed to be, with one hand upon the omega's shoulder blade.  

It was too close, too personal, Louis didn't like it one bit... but there was a silver lining...

"He doesn't accept?" Louis asked with feigned nonchalance.  "Ed asked Harry on a date and he said no?"

Nick nodded in a slow, sad fashion.  His eyes glinted with a hint of malice in Louis' direction.

"That's the trouble with H.  He never recognises what's actually healthy for him, as opposed to what he likes, but is actually... quite toxic!"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Louis hissed with venom.  He leaned across the coffee table, his hand balled into a fist upon its surface.  To his disgust Nick just smirked at him, satisfied that the celebrity alpha had risen to his bait.

"I mean that H deserves better than some flimsy excuse for a popstar to be the object of his affection," Nick replied as he obnoxiously sipped his coffee and gazed around without a care in the world.  Louis ground his teeth with frustration.  His bright eyes darted back to Ed, Harry and Taylor.  The whole scene in front of him was foreign and confusing, Louis had only just begun to accept the alterations to his lad's physical appearance, but the more he watched the young omega talk and laugh with his new friends, Louis realised that Harry hadn't just changed on the outside, he was also a little different inside too.

 

One painful hour and forty seven irritating minutes later Louis was all too glad when Harry asked him if he was ready to go.

Louis was ready.  He had been itching to leave since the moment they got there!

"What time do you want us over?" Nick drawled to Louis' disgust and revulsion.  How dare this guy try and hijack their private time like this!  But instead of telling him where to go, Harry pondered. "About seven?" he suggested.  "You'll pick up Cara and Caggs on the way right?"

 _Seven_?   _Cara and Caggs_?  Louis could feel his brain beginning to melt into a puddle of confused goo.  But then Harry slung his bag over his shoulder, laced his fingers in-between Louis' as though it was the most natural act in the world, and ushered him into the street.

"Aren't they great?" Harry bubbled as he marched along the road.  Louis stumbled to keep himself from being left behind, Harry's legs had definitely got longer to make this length of stride.  "You have no idea how excited I am that they got to finally meet you!  I've been talking about you so much they keep saying I've got a Lou-tracked-mind!"

"What's happening at seven?" Louis asked with apprehension.  He already knew he wasn't going to like it, might as well get it over with.

"Mum said I could have a little welcome home party for you," Harry beamed and bounced upon the balls of his feet.  "Everyone's coming!"

"Everyone?" Louis asked weakly.  What had happened to having a special exclusive party for two?

"Yeah!" Harry nodded without skipping a beat.  "Ed, Nick, Cara and Caggs..."

"Cara and Caggs?" Louis asked again with a sigh.  He felt very out of the loop.

"Didn't I tell you?" asked Harry as he crinkled his brow, then ruffled his hair back into place.  "They met at my birthday fashion show and really hit it off.  Been dating ever since!" he grinned at Louis.  "They make the most adorable couple."

"At least I'll know someone there then."

Louis knew he was being ungracious as soon as the words left his mouth.  Instead of appearing hurt, Harry suddenly looked as though he was about to deliver the best news in the entire world!  

"Stan and Oli are coming too!" he blurted out, unable to hold the news in any longer.  "Didn't want it to just be all of my friends so I got their numbers off Liam."

Louis plastered a smile on his face.  It really was sweet of Harry to go to that much trouble especially for him, but it really wasn't necessary.  Louis just wanted to spend some quality time with Harry.  The more people at the party, the less chance there was of that happening.

 

If the elder alpha had planned on having some quiet time together with his favourite omega before the party started he would have been sadly mistaken.  As soon as Harry stepped though his front door, he turned full on party planner mode.  The living room had to be tidied up, furniture had to be moved around so that guests would have enough places to sit and a large table had to be set up for food and drinks.

"Did you make all of these?" Louis asked in amazement at the sheer volume of cakes, sandwiches and nibbles that Harry kept appearing from the kitchen with.  "When did you get the time?"

"Ed and Nick came over to help me out this morning."  

Louis tried to hold back a grimace.  He was jealous pure and simple.  Harry didn't notice.  Instead he grabbed Louis' hand.  "Come and help me with the dips for the crisps."

"Nick gave me his recipe for guacamole," Harry explained as he got the needed ingredients ready.  "He made it for me a while back.  Trust me, it's the best you will ever taste!"

"I hate guacamole," Louis muttered as he watched Harry at his chopping board.  "It's vile stuff.  Don't know why people eat it!"

"Which is why I made you salsa."

The expression on Harry's face was wary.  Why was Louis acting so stroppy and discontented all of a sudden?  This wasn't like him at all.  

"Has something happened Lou?"

Louis shook his head with a sniff.  "I just don't like guacamole."  What he meant was he didn't like Nick.

Harry's eyes narrowed, but he didn't push the issue any further.  Maybe Louis was just tired.  He had been working very hard over the past few months.  What he needed was to have some fun to loosen up a little.  Harry was sure that Louis would be fine once the party got into full swing.

 

"Lou!  Can you get that!"  Harry hollered downstairs to where Louis was loitering in the hall whilst Harry changed his clothes.  "I'm not ready yet!"

Louis sighed, glowered a little, then reluctantly went to answer the front door.  

"You're not Harry," Nick stated the obvious as he pushed the alpha to the side and breezed up the stairs.  It was nothing but an indication of how comfortable Nick was in Harry's house.  Louis was not at all happy.  Especially when the next guests to arrive were Ed and Taylor (who insisted on calling him Liam!)

"Everyone comfortable?" Harry chirped as he reappeared on the stairs.  Louis turned his head upward to watch him descend, his mouth involuntary dropped open and his eyes widened as he took in the sight in front of him.  If he had thought that Harry had looked good earlier, the image paled in comparison to how he looked now.

Skin tight black jeans clung to each and every curve of his mile long legs, which Louis' eyes slowly and deliberately trailed his gaze over.  From Harry's shiny black ankle boots, right up to the obvious bulge below the omega's tightly buckled belt.  Saliva gathered under Louis' tongue, he gulped hard and forced himself to tear his eyes away as a blush blossomed upon his cheeks.  Harry blatantly had not just grown in height since he last saw him!

"Wow!  H!  You look incredible!" a voice breathed behind Louis' head.  Ed had voiced what Louis had lost the power of speech to do so himself.  Mentally he kicked himself in the shin for not saying it first.

Harry looked down at his brand new t-shirt.  It was a simple white scoop neck (rather like the ones that he loved to see Louis wear), but even he could see his newly defined abs through the thin fabric, which Nick had finally convinced him was one of his best features of late.

"Thanks," he replied, and Louis felt nausea as he heard the warmth and fond in Harry's voice.  But when he looked up at his boys' face, soft green eyes were fixated on his own.  Not at the face who had spoken.

Louis might not have said the words out loud, but he didn't need to.  After all, he was the only one who Harry wanted a compliment from.  Louis wished that Harry could always read his mind.

 

Louis tried so hard to have a good time as Harry had intended.  He caught up with his friends.  He sampled Harry's food (he chose to ignore that the sarcastic and unfriendly hipster wannabe had anything to do with it!)  

Most of all he tried to spend time with Harry.  If it was up to him, Louis would shove everyone out of the front door, lock it up and pounce upon his beautiful boy to commence a cuddle that would last for the whole duration of his visit.  

Unfortunately, Harry was the perfect host, and Louis found himself trailing after the omega like a forgotten puppy as Harry mingled with his friends, refilled drinks and made sure everyone was having a great time.  Which everyone - apart from Louis - was!

Finally, after what felt like hours, Harry took one last scan around the living room, saw that all his guests were happy and catered for, then turned to Louis with a satisfied smile.

"I need a drink.  Who knew throwing a party would be such thirsty work?"

"You had better mean non-alcoholic," Louis muttered ominously as he recalled how comfortable Harry had been with the two bottles of cider he had opened for Oli and Stan earlier.  "You're not old enough to drink.  Where did you even get those?  Won't your mum be pissed at you for stealing her alcohol?"

Harry rolled his eyes and pinched Louis' cheek, before gently caressing the same spot with his thumb.  Louis couldn't help but lean into the younger boy's touch.  Just the lightest caress had Louis' heart racing and skin tingling.  

"Just because I assumed your older and more sophisticated friends would enjoy a cold alcoholic beverage, doesn't mean that I do," Harry told Louis with a wink as he led the way to the kitchen.  "Also, they're not mum or dad's."

Harry reached into the fridge and pulled out one of the large pitchers of pineapple and lime juice he'd been re-filling glasses with all evening.  "Just don't tell Liam.  I don't think he'll miss them because he's all about healthy living these days, but I don't want to piss him off for stealing his stuff!"

"Where is Liam?" Louis suddenly realised with a frown.  "Didn't you invite him?"

Harry swallowed a large gulp of juice and wiped his mouth.  "At his dad's," he reported with a shrug.  "Wouldn't be surprised if Liam moved out to be honest," he added quietly.  "He doesn't seem to be around that much anymore.  I mean, I know he's away with the band a lot... but when he comes home... he doesn't really spend much time here..."

Louis opened his mouth intent on saying some words of comfort to cheer his boy up, but as always, he was interrupted.  This time it was Caroline and Cara, to whom Louis could not keep his eyes from rolling in an exasperated fashion to the back of his head.  Harry was a grown lad and they were fussing and cooing over him like he was a little baby!  Yes, Harry was very pretty!  Yes, he looked fantastic in those clothes, and yes!  Harry did have the most pinch-able cheeks!  But any poking of those dimples should only be done by Louis!

"What was that?" Cara asked in astonishment as she stared at Louis as though he was slightly mad.  "Did you just growl at me?"

Unable to respond with any dignity to the question which only had one very obvious answer, Louis blushed a deep red and mumbled something about going to find Oli and Stan.  He felt more disappointed than hurt when he realised that Harry hadn't followed him.  A glance over his shoulder confirmed that the young omega had no intention to either.  Not only was he sitting upon Cagg's lap, but Ed had decided to go over for a bit of a flirt.  Louis flexed his fingers.  Ed didn't look that threatening... could probably go down after one swing... violence wasn't always bad was it? 

 

"Are you always this ungrateful?  Or is it just the way your face is stuck with an unfortunate expression?"

Louis muttered a word so explicit that it would have made Harry blush if he'd heard him, and turned slowly with an air of exasperation to face his newly acquainted nemesis.

"Do you always sound like you have a speech impediment?  Or is it what you hipster types consider to be cool?" he shot back with ease.  It wasn't hard to insult the lanky, quiffed tosser.  After all, Louis had pretty been on the end of his insults all day.  He'd even uncharacteristically held his tongue for Harry's benefit.  But without the young omega around...

Instead of being enraged Nick smiled lazily.

"Poor little popstar not enjoying his party?  H will be so upset.  After all, he did plan all this especially for you, and here you are, sulking because he's getting all the attention."

"What is your fucking problem?" Louis growled through gritted teeth as he seethed on the inside.  "You've been on my sodding case all day!  What the fuck have I done to you?"

Nick smirked with satisfaction at how he had finally gotten a rise.

"You exist," he replied simply, "and one day Harry is going to realise what an arrogant, self absorbed prick you actually are."

Louis opened his mouth, all ready to unleash a torrent of vile words, intent of wiping that revolting smirk of the lad's lips.

"There you are!" 

Louis' jaw snapped shut as Harry appeared at his side, bouncing on the balls of his feet in happiness that Louis and Nick were spending time together.

"People are starting to leave," Harry continued as he slipped his arm around his best friend's shoulders, a slight pout on his lips.  "I can't believe it's over.  Been planning it for ages!"

Harry caught Louis' eye with a hopeful expression.

"Did you have fun Lou?"

A bark of laughter from Nick had Harry confused and Louis furious.

"I've loved it," Louis lied with a sweet lull of a coo in his voice and lifted his hand to caress the young omegas soft cheek.  "You put so much effort into this and I appreciate it so much babe."

Harry's grin was so wide, Louis couldn't help but beam back as Harry nuzzled into the palm of his hand.

"Isn't he wonderful?" Harry gushed to Nick.

"Tomlinson should win all the Oscars!" Nick stated with a shit eating grin at Louis.  

But Harry frowned and shook his head.  "Oscars are for actors not singers.  You should know that."

"I know what I meant."  

Nick grabbed Harry and pulled him into a hug that left Louis seething.  It was official.  He hated Nick Grimshaw!

One by one the guests made their exit.  Harry got hugs, cheek kisses and hair ruffles.  Louis just got jealous.  He wasn't an attention seeker, but he wanted Harry all to himself.  He was impatient, tired and more sulky by the minute.

Not that Harry noticed.  As soon as the front door was shut he was full of chatter about his friends and the party, and seemed to miss the fed up frown that creased Louis' brow.

At least it's over now, Louis thought to himself as he followed the over excited omega upstairs towards his bedroom.  Now it would just be the two of them and Louis could finally get the cuddle he had been craving since he'd left for tour after Christmas.  He didn't even wait to get upstairs, but plastered himself to the younger lads back, his arms trapping Harry's to his sides who giggled, and pretty much dragged Louis to his room.  This was more like it!

 

"I'm just gonna take a shower," Harry told him as they passed the bathroom and detangled his limbs from Louis' eager grasp.  "I'll only be five minutes, don't sulk!" he laughed when Louis stuck out his lower lip, then turned the elder alpha around and gave him a playful shove towards his bedroom.  "Just relax.  Stick on The 1975 and I'll be in once... I've washed off the cologne you seem to hate so much!"

"I don't... hate it," Louis stated unconvincingly.  "I just prefer to smell... well... you... not something synthetic."  A thought suddenly occurred to him.  "Since when do you like The 1975?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow that turned quickly into a smirk.  "I can't believe you're listening to other boybands behind my back!  Do you even own our new album?"

"Funnily enough I own _seven_ copies," Harry stated as he started to unbutton his shirt.

"But I only sent you _four_."

"And funnily enough every one had a picture of your face on it!"

"What can I say?  Mine was clearly the most handsome!  My covers were most probably sold out in seconds!"

"Only because you probably brought them all and gave them away for free in multiples!"

Louis cackled with laughter, even more so when Harry did the same.  He had missed this so much, the closeness, the banter... it was like nothing had changed.  Until...

 

Harry's mobile sang out that it had a text message, which the lad immediately pounced upon, then smiled with glee as he read it.

"Hey Lou?  Wanna play paintball with the boys tomorrow?  It will be so much fun!"

Louis' mouth dropped open with surprise.  Another change in Harry.

"But you said you would never play paintball.  You've always been scared of it," Louis found himself saying, even though for years he had tried to persuade the lad to join in with the rest of the lads.  "Ever since you got obsessed with Ant and Dec's back story and forced me to watch their old TV show Byker Grove!"

"I wasn't scared," Harry blushed.  He must have been embarrassed because he seemed to change his mind about taking his shirt off.  Instead he wandered towards his bedroom.

"You were too!" Louis voiced animated.  "The kid got shot in the eye with two paintballs and got blinded for life!  Not only did you cry, but you refused point blank to go anywhere near a paintball site!  You panicked the entire time when I went to Zayn's birthday party!"

"Well... Ed has his own set and we kind of played in the woods behind his house," Harry muttered.  "It wasn't scary after all... it was kind of fun... we all wore goggles."

It was like someone had flicked a switch inside Louis' brain.  The rational side ground to a halt, and the irrational ran away with itself - and Louis' mouth!

"So you'll play with them, but you won't play with me?" he demanded shortly and crossed his arms across his chest in a defiant pose.  "You don't believe me when I tell you that I'll keep you safe from harm!  I bet you were so excited when they asked you that you completely forgot it made you terrified!"

"Lou?" Harry asked, his face blank and unreadable.  Even that freaking cologne masked any scent of emotion.  "What's going on?  What are you trying to do?" 

"What are _you_ trying to do to _me_?" Louis wailed as all his insecurities bubbled to the surface and cascaded out of his mouth.  "I've only been gone for _four_ months!"

Harry stared at him with the utmost amazement.

"What are you on about?  What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?  What's _wrong_!" Louis exclaimed, high pitched, shrill and strangled.  "What's _right_?  You're not _you_ anymore!  You're different!  Your hair!  Your body!  You smell weird, you listen to new music, you play paintball and you've got all these fucking new friends and confidence!"

It was because of how Harry reacted to Louis' outburst that knocked the alpha over the edge.  All the young omega did was stare at him and blink.  He didn't look upset or even surprised.  Then he sat down and looked expectant, as though they were in the middle of a very interesting conversation and not in the middle of what was turning into a very heated argument.  Louis bristled from the indifference.  Did his opinion suddenly not matter?  Had he been replaced by those morons?  

Even Harry's room was different now he was actively searching for changes.  The walls were a different colour for a start, and there were just as many pictures of Harry's new friends as there were of himself and the band.  That was not on!  He didn't want to be cuddled in bed with his Harry and have to endure a photograph of his nemesis smirking at him!

"Where the fuck is Boo!" Louis suddenly exclaimed in a strangled tone as his eyes raked over the duvet.  Boo never left Harry's pillow.  If the bed was made, Boo was always lovingly placed at the head.  Harry loved that sodding hedgehog as much as he loved Louis... or were Harry's feelings for Louis as absent as the cuddly toy he had once been so fond of?

It would explain why Louis had been kept in the dark regarding Harry's new friends... and exciting new life.  And yet Harry still hadn't given him a reaction.  Here was Louis, so upset that he was almost hyperventilating with worry and distress, but apart from a small crease between his eyebrows there was no sign that Harry had even heard him.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Louis demanded with a hint of impending hysteria.  "What is going on Harry?  Have I lost you?  Is that it?  Do you love them more than me?  Have you moved on?  Have you got another fucking teddy bear from Nick or Ed?  Where is it?"

The crease deepened as Harry frowned.

"Is that what you actually think?" he asked slowly as his eyes widened.

Louis marched up to the wall of photos and with nimble fingers and a red mist of rage began to tear them from the walls so that they littered the floor at Harry's feet.

"Not me!  Not me!  Not me!" Louis snapped as each photograph fluttered to the ground.  "Since when do you have other people up on your wall?  Since when did you take pictures of me down to put randoms up?"

"They're my friends Lou," Harry almost whispered with disbelief.  Louis couldn't bear to look at him.  "I like..."

"You like them a fuck ton more than me!" Louis raged as he began to jerk open Harry's drawers and throw clothes around.  Boo had to be around here somewhere, and in Louis' jealous and paranoid mind, the deeper he had to look, the more it proved that Harry didn't love him anymore.  "What have you done with Boo?  Give him to a charity shop?  Throw him out?  Didn't he suit your new image as a smoking hot student?"

"Stop it!" Harry suddenly spoke, his steady hand grabbed for Louis' wrist which prevented him from throwing a pot of pens across the room.  "Before you do or say anything else, you need to leave and go home.  Now!"

Louis stilled in shock.  He could actually feel the blood in his veins freeze.  He could actually hear his heart thump erratically in his chest.  In a moment of desperation the elder alpha dared to look into green eyes.  Any other time they were like an oasis to his parched and thirsty ego.  Now they held as much relief as a stagnant pond.  Without another word, his mouth pressed into the thinnest line, Louis snatched his hand away and stormed outside.  He physically had to force himself to be angry with Harry.  To blame him for confirming his fears - before the tears that fought against his eyelashes defeated his will and fell. 

 

Louis stomped up the stairs towards his bedroom.  His insides squirmed with discomfort as they always did when he was scared.  Had he really been replaced?  Had he actually lost Harry?  The omega hadn't even argued with him.  Just simply told him to go home.  Was it over?  How could it be over?

With a loud bang Louis threw his bedroom door open and stalked inside.  This was officially the worst night he had ever had!  The worst day!  The worst trip home!  All he wanted was just to crawl into bed and cry himself to sleep.  Only, there wasn't room on his bed...

With a confused frown Louis flipped on the light so he could examine the clutter upon his bed clearly.  Then he exhaled a heavy sigh and slunk towards the window.  Through the glass he could see the perfect silhouette in the window opposite.  Harry.

Sheepish and more than slightly ashamed Louis slowly opened the window and leaned out.  Harry acknowledged his presence with a nod.  His window was already wide open as he had obviously been waiting for Louis.

"So... it turns out I'm a complete dick!" Louis stated obviously as he watched the shape of Harry move to lean further out of the window.

Out of all the sources of natural light, moonlight was Louis' favourite.  Sunlight could be too bright.  It could make his eyes squint and water, and only let him see half of what he actually wanted.  Harry didn't need sunlight to sparkle, his personality did that on its own.

Moonlight on the other hand was always beautiful, and tonight it was necessary.  It was soft, romantic and neutralised even the harshest of atmospheres.  Across from him Harry shrugged in response.  

How was it possible that Harry could look that calm and collected after everything that Louis had said to him?  Was he really wearing that tranquil smile or was it just the moonlight upon his skin smoothing out the lines of his frown?

Suddenly Louis felt uncharacteristically shy.

"I'm so sorry Harry.  Please can you come over?  I'm so fucking sorry!" he asked carefully, his whisper amplified in the still of the night.

Harry didn't answer, just withdrew from the ledge and closed the window before he disappeared into the darkness of his bedroom.  Less than a minute later, Louis heard Harry's backdoor shut quietly and a familiar figure trot towards his own kitchen door.

"I don't know what to say," Louis admitted as Harry let himself into his bedroom and leaned against the wall.  "I just... well..."

"Got a teeny bit jealous?" Harry offered carefully.  "Decided to jump to conclusions?  Decided my possessions looked better on the floor?"

The omega's mouth curved into a sad little pout as his eyes drifted to his feet.  "Thought the worst of me?"

"Babe..." Louis faltered as he felt torn between the urge to gather the lad up in his arms to comfort him, or to remain where he was because he'd been such a judgemental prick!

"I'd never replace you with anyone," Harry continued in a small voice.  Louis' heart physically hurt as he watched Harry slide to the floor and draw his knees to his chest, arms wrapped tightly around them.  "You're irreplaceable to me Lou.  I thought you knew that."

"Then why have you changed so much?"

Louis knew he was whining and he hated it.  He could hear how high pitched and shrill his tone had reached, it irritated his own ears and embarrassed him beyond belief.  He was a fucking alpha and he was whining like a small child because Harry had... grown up.

"I haven't changed that much."

Huge eyes peeped out from behind toned forearms.

"You don't look the same."

"I just go to the gym now.  I like it.  It's fun and it makes me feel good," Harry explained patiently, yet petulantly.

"Your clothes..."

"I changed my style.  So what?  Don't you like it?" 

Louis wasn't deaf to how harshly Harry had muttered his words.  But how could he even imagine that Louis didn't like it? How could he not?  Harry had literally turned from a cute lad to a mouth-watering man.

"You're stunning," Louis almost whispered.  A tiny smile quirked at the corners of Harry's mouth.  "But it was... a shock... I mean a surprise... I mean... I had no idea!  Is it because of them?  Was it like paintball?  They suggested it, you did it?"

"You really don't like my friends do you?" Harry asked tiredly.  He sounded fed up and defeated.  Louis hated that it was because of him that he sounded that way.  Louis ignored Harry's question.  It was easier than actually answering it.

"You've made a lot of new friends haven't you?"

Harry groaned and rubbed his face.  "Is there anything right with me?  Are you really going to spend our precious time together picking on me?  Or can you just accept me for who I am and cut me some slack?  I've missed you so much and this really wasn't part of my plan!" 

Harry gazed mournfully towards Louis' bed.  "You haven't even said if you liked your surprise."

 

Louis instantly felt guilty.  He hadn't even said thank you.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and scratched at the back of his neck with his blunt fingernails, which he only really did when he was nervous.  "I just wished I had seen it earlier..."

Harry really had thought of every detail for Louis' long awaited homecoming and put in a lot of time and effort, and all of it made Louis' insides squirm with embarrassment.

Boo the hedgehog was (of course) the centre piece, placed carefully in the middle of Louis' bed with a huge blue and green "Welcome Home" balloon tied to one of his fluffy paws.

Spread out on the bed in front of Boo was a tray of multicoloured cupcakes, all beautifully piped with icing and spelt out "Proud of Louis, love Harry and Boo."

Above the bed, stuck to the wall was every single photograph that Louis had noticed was absent from Harry's bedroom, along with some artistic shots which Harry had obviously thought looked cool.  

The whole set up was just so adorable, sincere and sweet.  It was just so Harry.  His heart felt heavy with emotion.  His head felt confused, but his guilt of how he had dealt with Harry's new persona outweighed everything else.  But who else wouldn't feel left out and jealous?  It had felt as though there wasn't space for him in the young omega's new life, and as much as he wanted to, he just couldn't shake that fear away.  What if he had just made things worse?

"What are you doing?" Louis asked suddenly as he realised that Harry had vacated his spot on the floor and was proceeding to clear the bed.

"I think we're both tired," Harry explained quietly.  "I think you are saying a lot of things you don't mean... and I think I've been taking them the wrong way.  Might be better to... sleep... things might be better in the morning..."

Harry didn't make a show of undressing, but Louis couldn't take his eyes off him.  Underneath his brand new clothes, Louis could finally see what he'd only experienced a hint of earlier.  Harry was fit.  If he didn't feel so rubbish, Louis was sure that he would have appreciated it more.  From the hairless and lean legs to a stomach which had started to develop a hint of a six pack.

"I'm still the same on the inside Lou," Harry whispered to the elder alpha once they were snuggled together under the covers.  He searched for Louis' hands, clasped them in his own, holding them to his chest.

"You still need me right?" Louis whispered back, almost desperate as he squeezed Harry's hands tightly.  "I'm still in your life right?  You haven't let me go?"

Warm, soft lips pressed against his knuckles.

"I love you Lou, but I don't need you..."

"What?"

Louis could feel his brain imploding.  

"I don't need you," Harry repeated.  "But I want you.  I honestly can't stand the thought of us being apart, but I know that I can carry on and live my life because I know that wherever you go, no matter how long you are gone for, you will always come back.  Just like me.  No matter where my life takes me, it will always start and end with you."

Louis' features softened as Harry's words massaged and soothed his hectic mind.

"But why did you have to grow up without me?" he whispered sadly.  "It's like you're saying that I held you back, and it feels like you feel as though I was claustrophobic, controlling and suffocated you!"

The hands Harry held so closely began to shake within his grasp.

"Lou it's because of you that I have courage to make it on my own!" Harry insisted with passion.  "You have always encouraged me to push beyond my comfort zone."

"But... you don't need me," Louis croaked.  His mouth was dry, his tongue like sandpaper against the roof of his mouth.  "I need you..."

Harry immediately pressed a soft kiss to the tip of Louis' little nose.  "It sounded better in my head.  What I meant was," his eyes searched Louis' for a glimmer that he understood what he was trying to say.  "I feel so confident about us that, although I miss you so much whilst you're away, I don't pine for you the way I used to.  Because I always know that eventually you will come back to me."

Louis huffed out a small breath.  Harry's words were clearer this time, but they still didn't make him feel secure.

"Nick told me that Ed asked you out on a date," he commented in a small voice, "but you said no."

"Of course I did," Harry breathed with a smile.  "Still waiting on you sweet cheeks!"

It would have been the perfect time for him to make his move.  But Louis just didn't feel it.  His head was all over the place, split between nervous anxiety and detachment.  Harry had rolled onto his back and Louis scooted closer, inch by inch until his leg was slung across Harry's firm thighs and he was nestled into the younger lad's side, his cheek settled upon Harry's chest.  He didn't say a word, but welcomed the omega's arms when they wrapped around him and held him tightly.

"I love you Lou," Harry whispered into the darkness.  "Nobody comes close to you."

Precisely and deliberately, Louis moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue then gently kissed Harry's bare chest, right above his heart.  He could hardly believe that he had spoken to his Harry in such a disgusting fashion.

"I'm so sorry!"  His voice cracked as he gripped hold of Harry so tightly that his fingers began to cramp.  He felt horribly guilty, and the fact that Harry was just being so damn sweet to him made it a thousand times worse.  He hadn't even been aware that his cheeks were wet with tears until the young omega had wiped them away with the tip of his nose.

"How can you still stand me?" Louis bit out.  He closed his eyes, the sensation of Harry's fingers combing back his fringe soothed the savage beast within.  "I got so fuckin' blinded with jealousy... I hate being left out..."

But Harry didn't let him finish.

"You're tired Lou," he crooned into Louis' ear as he wrapped his arms securely around his shoulders.  "You've worked really hard for months.  I'm sure it's nothing to do with me really.  You just need to relax and let me look after you.  Just get some sleep, it'll all be forgotten in the morning."

"I'll never forget that," Louis muttered into Harry's skin darkly.

"I will," Harry instantly promised with a chaste kiss to Louis' forehead.

 

It was unusual to sleep this way.  Harry had always been the little spoon, but tonight it was Louis who needed to be held, squished against Harry's side, his head upon his shoulder, his leg hooked over Harry's thighs, an arm slung over his chest.  No matter how tired Louis was he couldn't fall asleep, but when Harry was, Louis watched him.  He loved the little snuffles he made in his slumber, and after a while his eyelids began to twitch as though he was dreaming.  Louis had spent a number of hours in the past wondering what Harry dreamt about, and tonight was no exception.  He just hated how paranoid he was over Harry's affections.  He had always wanted Harry to have friends and to be happy and popular - he just hadn't foreseen how negative he would feel once it actually happened.  

The next day when they awoke, Harry - true to his word - pretended nothing had happened as he made Louis' breakfast and proceeded to chatter happily about what they could do together whilst the alpha was at home.  Louis noticed that Harry didn't mention meeting up with his friends again which he was grateful for.  In fact he was so sorry about how he had acted he didn't even make a fuss when he was presented with a side salad along with his homemade burger for lunch.  Nor did he disagree when he found his face plastered with a mixture of black and green goop, which Harry insisted would make his skin glow for the awards show.

If Louis had learnt anything during this trip, it was how to figure which battles needed fighting.  By the end of the five days at home, Louis was left in no doubt that Harry's affections were solely directed at him - even though he doubted he deserved it.

 

The American Music Awards were a huge event in the music industries calendar.  Not only were One Direction nominated for a good handful of awards, but they were also going to perform.  Harry was beside himself with excitement as he set up his laptop to watch the live streaming and his phone so that he could tweet commentary.  All four lads looked so smart on the red carpet, Harry's heart swelled with pride as he watched his brother and best friend pose for the press.

@Harry_Styles:  So proud of my bro and my bestie #AMAOneDirection

 

Harry loved interacting with Directioners on twitter during awards shows.  They were just so dedicated and hyper and pretty soon his mentions and timeline were full of new photos, updates and short videos of them on the night.  What he disliked were the fan accounts who speculated weather or not Eleanor was there too as Louis' date.  Although he had stuck to his word and hadn't asked the alpha any questions about the rut that would have taken place whilst the band were away, Harry had been itching to do so.  It had pleased him no end that there hadn't been any fan sightings of the pair in the same location, and although Harry knew that Louis could be really sneaky when he wanted to be - as Nick had commented upon quite a few times without context to their conversation - in the end he preferred to stay oblivious.  Any account which bleated even once about _Elouner_ got an instant mute and a block.  He didn't need fairy tales like that crowding his immaculate timeline!

Each time One Direction won an award, Harry cheered aloud as though he was right there with them, pride pretty bursting out of his chest as he was so happy that the world were seeing exactly what he had known all along.  But the best part for him individually was when he got a notification from both Liam and Louis.

@Louis_Tomlinson:  Massive thank you to my no1 lad @Harry_Styles  Wouldn't be here without you.  Big love. #ProudOfYouToo

@Real_Liam_Payne:  Shout out to my little bro and biggest cheerleader @Harry_Styles.  Wish you were here.  #ProudOfYouToo

 

"So?  When is lover-boy due back?" Nick asked through a mouthful of bread and cheese.  "Guessing I won't be seeing much of you for the next few days."

Harry frowned.  Why was Nick expecting Louis to be coming home?  As far as he knew Louis and the rest of the lads were tied up with rehearsals for their next tour and wouldn't be home for at least a couple more weeks.  He told Nick exactly that, as well as how disappointed he was.  Even though he had told Louis to his face that he didn't need the alpha around, it had been a blatant lie.  Harry missed Louis more with every day that passed.  It had been five weeks since they had last hugged goodbye, and Harry didn't even know when he would be able to feel his touch again.

So why did Nick seem to think that the lad's arrival was imminent? 

Immediately, Nick took a massive bite, obviously so that his mouth would be too full to speak.  An uneasy knot started to coil deep inside Harry's gut.  He knew his friend pretty well and this was a text book example of how the lad was trying to avoid telling Harry information that he wouldn't like.

"What's going on?" Harry tried to ask with a nonchalant tone.  "Have you heard something?"

Nick coughed and tried to distract Harry with a picture of a new designer shirt he'd ordered, but when it came to Louis, Harry refused to get sidetracked.

"Nick.  Just tell me what you know!" Harry warned with a frown.

"There's just been a couple of sightings of him on Twitter," Nick explained with discomfort.  "At Heathrow airport minus the rest of the band, and then at a couple of other places.  You don't follow @1DExclusive do you?"

Harry shook his head.  @1DExclusive were _Elouner_ champions.  They had been blocked a long time ago.  He looked a lot calmer than he felt inside.  If Louis had some time off, why hadn't he been told?  

"Show me."

"Maybe you shouldn't see this."

Nick's Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped hard and held his phone protectively to his chest as Harry reached for it.

"Mate, I really wouldn't look.  It's probably _exactly_ what it looks like..."

It was all Harry needed to hear for him to grab the phone off Nick and scroll through the pictures that @1DExclusive had uploaded that very day.  Fear twisted and manifested in his gut, which only intensified as he examined the photos so closely that his nose almost touched the screen.

It was clearly Louis, even though he was wearing shades and a beanie hat - the same hat Harry realised angrily that he had especially handmade for him for his birthday - Harry would recognise him anywhere.  Even worse he was with Eleanor... _Eleanor_!

#Confirmed Louis' in rut! Seen at The Savoy, London with Eleanor Calder #ElounorIsReal

They were holding hands.  Louis was actually holding Eleanor's hand!  Harry was surprised he hadn't vomited his bread and cheese all over Nick's thick pile carpet out of shock and disgust.

"See," Nick murmured sympathetically.  "I'm sorry mate.  I guess he can't help himself.  Are you OK?"

With a fierce frown on his face Harry reached for his own phone whilst he glared at the pictures under his nose.

"Niall?" He asked as soon as his friend had answered the phone.  "Is Lou with you?"

Harry knew the answer as soon as he heard Niall uncomfortably clear his throat.

"He's in rut isn't he?" Harry asked tensely.  "And he's with _her_ isn't he?"  

"I... I don't know H..." Niall replied.  He sounded evasive and awkward.  "He... erm... why don't you call him?"

Harry didn't need to.  Niall had already told him what he needed to know.  Harry was furious!  A scowl prominent on his brow, Harry said goodbye to Niall and chucked his phone on the bed.

"I told you he wasn't worth it," Nick said in an attempt to comfort him.  "He wouldn't treat you right even if you were together.   You would never know where he was or who he was stuck into.  Come on H, you would be _so_ much better off with someone like Ed.  He really cares about _you_.  He would treat you so well H.  Go on, what's holding you back?"

Harry's anger only increased as he flicked through more photos of Louis and Eleanor on their date.  It had to be serious, even Alberto was with them!  Who took a security guard on a _date_?

"H, you've got to put an end to this daydream in your pretty little head," Nick pleaded with his friend.  "You always say that you're waiting for him, but I really don't think there is anything to wait for.  Louis sees you as a friend.  A best friend maybe, but he obviously doesn't want any more." 

Nick placed a comforting hand upon Harry's knee and squeezed it.  He knew his words must be painful to hear, but he was certain that Harry needed the truth and guidance at a time like this.

"If he was really into you, Louis wouldn't be holding back.  He would have at least kissed you.  But he never does.  He's an established, sexually active alpha.  A kiss is nothing to him.  Think about it H.  He just doesn't want you physically, and as soon as he meets the omega of his dreams he's going to forget you ever existed.  Is that what you want?  Because you deserve more than that!  What kind of relationship do you really think you are going to have with someone like Louis?  This is proof that you can't trust him!"

Harry shook his head hard.  His whole world was crashing around his shoulders.  He was so angry, so bitter, but most of all he was hurt.  Louis had actually let him down.  He had gone out of his way and broken the most important promise he had ever made.

"You know what?" Harry announced with a bite of irritation.  "Ed was really sweet when he asked me out!  I'm going to go! Louis is a fucking liar!  He doesn't deserve me to wait around for him!" 

Nick watched with a delighted smile on his face as Harry plucked his phone off the duvet and scrolled for Ed's number.  He was fully supportive of _this_ relationship.  

Louis Tomlinson was an omega-iser.  An arrogant little shit who was too big for his pathetically small Vans.  Ed on the other hand was a complete sweetheart, with the most loving personality.  He would look after Harry like the omega deserved.  Ed was around all the time for starters.  Unlike Louis, Ed wasn't always on tour or at awards shows or whatever was more important than Harry that day of the week.  Ed would be able to offer Harry stability, commitment, companionship, and most importantly - unlike Louis - Ed actually _liked_ Nick!

"Hey Ed!" Harry chirped into the phone.  "Are you alright?  I was wondering if you still wanted to do something on Saturday?  Yeah?  Great!"

Harry stopped to give Nick the thumbs up.

"Sure," Harry continued with a smile and a nod.  "I love that place!  Pick me up at seven?  Ok.  Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it too.  Yeah... it's a... it's a date."

Harry ended the call and stared at the phone in his hand motionless.  He was officially going on a date with Ed Sheeran.  His first proper date... but it wasn't with Louis... without a care that Nick was in the room and watching his every move, Harry very promptly burst into tears.  This wasn't right.  This wasn't how his life was meant to be like.  Sure he liked Ed, but he loved Louis.

"I'm gonna go home mate," Harry announced two hours later.  His tears had long dried, and he was past feeling upset at Louis' betrayal.  He was back to anger, enhanced by his newfound addiction as he searched for _Elouner_  on Twitter and saw picture after picture of Louis and Eleanor from every conceivable angle.  It wasn't _right_!  It wasn't _fair_!  

Louis was _his_!  Louis _belonged_ to Harry!

Nick didn't hide his disappointment.  Harry was meant to stay the night, and he had hoped that he would be able to psyche the young omega up about his date with Ed.  He hated to see Harry cry over someone who was an obnoxious player like Louis Tomlinson, but he was sure Harry would come around after the date had happened.  The poor lad probably just needed some undivided attention for a change.  But there was a fierce gleam in Harry's eyes which prevented Nick from protesting too strongly.

 

Harry loitered in the drive for a little while, still scrolling through Twitter.  Not even @CaptainStylinson was able to cheer him up with her spot on and amusing tweets as she usually did.  His mood must really be black and dirty - even he was beginning to think that Larry wasn't real.  

@CaptainStylinson was Harry's favourite 'Larry' account on Twitter.  This girl - whoever she was - was so on point that Harry actually felt as though he knew her.  She certainly seemed to know him! Secretly Harry hoped he would meet her one day.  Considering she was the most popular  _Larrie_ on social media, maybe she would even be a bridesmaid at their wedding!  At least these had been Harry's thoughts before tonight!

 

@CaptainStylinson: #ElounerIsNOTReal Louis did not hug Harry like this for you to be a #WeakLarrie #SpotTheCouple

@CaptainStylinson: #ElounerIsNOTReal Harry doesn't stare at Louis like this for you to be a #WeakLarrie

 

@CaptainStylinson #ElounerIsNOTReal who's Hughie and Larry?  Harry's hamsters.  Hello!  Louis and Harry!  #LarryAsHamsters

 

@CaptainStylinson #ElounerIsNOTReal Knock knock.  Who's there?  Larry.  Larry who?  Unfollow me you #WeakLarrie!

@CaptainStylinson Seriously guys, hang in there!  We don't know what goes on behind closed doors.  All I know is Larry is real!  Look at them!

Harry gazed at the pictures with a heavy heart.  Some of them were old, the last one was pretty new.  He smiled slightly as he realised just how young Louis could look when he shaved his beard off and wore a striped shirt.  His mind wandered though, they just looked so happy to be together... because they were... and they could be so much happier... but Louis had ruined that now.  Once again he had chosen Eleanor for his rut... and he didn't even have the decency to tell Harry they weren't going to happen!

Harry made up his mind within a split second.  This couldn't be it.  This wasn't how it was supposed to end.  If he could only talk to Louis.  Even though he was faced with so much evidence that kind of proved that Louis was with Eleanor, there was something deep inside that begged him not to give up, to give the man he loved so painfully one last chance.

Harry didn't go home like he had told Nick.  

Instead he hot-footed it to the train station.  

Forty five minutes later he was on the last train destined for Paddington Station in London.  No-one knew of his intentions.  No-one would be able to intercept his - only partly conceived - plan.  If Harry had gone home, if he had let this lie, he would always wonder what would have happened if he had gone through with what he was doing right now.

Harry was headed for The Savoy, rut or no rut, he was going to confront Louis and Eleanor.  He was going to fight for his alpha, even if he ended up heartbroken trying!

It was late at night by the time Harry reached Paddington, and to be honest he felt lost.  This wasn't something he had properly thought through.  What was he meant to do now?  Should he book himself a room of his own when he got to The Savoy?  Should he try and find Louis?  What was he going to say to him once he did?  How was he going to feel when he saw them together?

But then again, wasn't that what Louis deserved?  He had betrayed Harry.  Louis should see how angry and upset his lies and deception had made the young omega.  Louis had made his bed with Eleanor, and now he should get the fuck out of it!

 

Approaching The Savoy Hotel was a completely different experience to the last time he had visited.  The last time he had enjoyed one of the best holidays he had ever had because he had been there to see Louis.  Yes, he was there to see the alpha once again, but under completely different circumstances.  Harry's blood positively boiled!

The doorman tipped his cap as he held the door open for Harry and allowed him access.  That was one of the best things about these fancy hotels, the staff were so polite and accommodating.  

Once inside the reception area Harry did what the band had always taught him to.  Ask for the room number for Mr Hugh Jass (Huge Ass) - the fake name Louis always checked in under.  There was a chance that Louis had chosen another name, but as luck would have it, the woman just smiled at him and gave him a room number for the second to top floor.

That just depressed Harry even more.  That was where the most expensive suites were located.  Maybe this was more than just a rut... maybe Louis really was with Eleanor like the updates accounts insisted...

Harry's hands were sweaty as he cautiously walked along the corridor on Louis' floor.  His heart pounded erratically in his chest as his anxiety peeked.  Now he was so close, all Harry felt was fear.  He was scared of what he might witness, terrified to the core that this really would be the end before it had even begun.  What was he going to do without Louis?  He couldn't imagine his life without the significant alpha.  He didn't want to.  But if this was the path that Louis had chosen... how could they possibly be even friends after this?  After all the promises that had been made... and broken...  Harry's clenched fist trembled as he banged upon the door.

 

Only twenty minutes later, pale and shocked, Harry stumbled out of the lift on the ground floor and fled towards the exit as fast as his failing legs could carry him.  He had been told to go home, but the omega had no intention of leaving the city.  How could he?  After what he had just seen?  After what he had just heard?  To say that his world had shifted beneath his feet was an understatement.

On autopilot, Harry dragged his feet to the cafe across the road, ordered the largest mug of coffee they served, and set up camp at a table next to the window.  The act of actually drinking his latte didn't even cross Harry's mind.  He just stared at the hotel's entrance with a dazed expression, and waited for Eleanor and Louis to emerge.

Harry couldn't pretend that he had understood what he had just witnessed.  Never in a million years would have that image penetrated his thoughts on its own accord and his mind buzzed with questions he was desperate to get answers for.  Every vein beneath his skin tingled from residue adrenalin from his anxiety riddled climax.  Gratitude and affection made his heart swell.

There could not be greater proof that Louis really was committed to him as he had once promised.  Louis hadn't let him down as he had feared.  Louis had shown him his true colours, and they were golden.

 

Harry wanted to talk to Louis so badly.  He felt as though his head would explode if he didn't siphon off some of his thoughts.  But that was the one thing that he hadn't been able to do at the hotel - talk.

Ninety minutes - and half a mug of cold coffee - later, Harry's piercing eyes spotted Eleanor leave The Savoy.  But Louis wasn't with her... just Alberto... ten paces behind her...

In a split second, Harry had shoved himself away from the table, the legs of his chair scraping loudly against the wooden floor.  There was no question about what he had to do - something which he should have done a long time ago!

Harry needed to go and claim his alpha!

 

Walking with purpose and determination, Harry tried to keep his cool as he strode up to the main entrance of The Savoy.  A different doorman was on duty to the last one Harry had encountered before, but was just as courteous when he tipped his hat and opened the door with a flourish.

With a quiet thanks, Harry slipped through the door and made his way quickly to the lift.  His mission was a lot simpler now he knew where he had to go, now he just had to get there without delay.

His heart pounding so hard Harry could feel it thud rhythmically inside his ears.  The lift doors slid smoothly open, and Harry stepped out into the all too familiar corridor.  Louis was so close, but yet so far away.  Without another thought, Harry broke into a run.

 

Louis yawned and stretched out his limbs.  He was fully in post rut stage now, and fuck was he exhausted!  Unsteady on his feet Louis hobbled into the living room area and threw himself down onto the settee.  It would probably be best to just rest for a while, at least until his head stopped throbbing and his heart rate steadied.  It actually did worry him about how huge a 'hangover' his ruts made him have, increasing with intensity with each one he went through.  It was almost like his mind was floating outside of his body and watching him lay there... helpless and isolated within his own useless headspace.

"I'm going to get going."

Eleanor's face dipped into his vision.  She was really such a lovely girl.  He had been so lucky to encounter her.  Even with the disgusting aftermath of his ruts, Eleanor had in fact shaped his whole world, he had no idea where he would be without her.

Louis smiled in acknowledgement, too tired to make any larger gesture.  Eleanor was used to it by now.  With a fond smile, she ruffled his hair with the tips of her fingers, slipped her oversized sunglasses over her eyes and disappeared from sight.  Louis didn't even hear the sound of her leaving the suite, he had his eyes closed, dreaming about glittering green eyes, and defined dimples.  He missed Harry so much.  Louis would do anything to see him right now.

 

Outside the door to Louis' suite, Harry shuffled about on the spot.  How hard was it to knock on a door?  It wasn't a stranger behind it.  It was Louis for goodness sake!

Giving his common sense a mighty metaphorical slap, Harry raised his hand and banged upon the door.  He needed to have all his wits about him, this was not the time to get emotional, doubt his own gut and overthink.  Actions spoke louder than words.  Harry was sick to death of words!

After what seemed like an eternity, the door swung open.  

Harry sucked in a deep breath as he came face to face with his best friend.  His past, his present and future was before him.

Harry was going to grab it with both hands!

Louis had looked better.  A lot better.  Purple, bruise like shadows hung heavily under his tired, half closed eyes.  The hand that clasped the door handle quivered his delicate wrist, almost as though the effort of holding the weight was just too much.

"Haz?  What are you doing here?" Louis asked, his voice dazed and confused.  "How did..." he trailed off.  Louis questioned if he was in the middle of a dream, especially when Harry stumbled through the door, gently prised his fingers off the handle and firmly shut it.  Louis didn't have the strength to protest, but let Harry steer him to the settee he'd only just vacated.

"I know what you did for me," Harry told him in a soft voice as his hands carefully guided his aching head to rest upon a cushion.  "What you did was the most incredible, selfless, sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me.  I love you so much Lou.  Now I know exactly how much I mean to you!"

Louis opened his mouth to speak, but Harry didn't give him a chance.

"Enough talk," Harry insisted firmly with a shake of his head.  "All we do is talk!" his voice shook with desperation.  "I'm _sick_ of talking!" 

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion for Louis.  Harry had always spoken naturally slow, but right now he was elongating each and every syllable, his mind imagining a slight echo in the young omega's speech.

Louis' eyes opened wide in astonishment as he watched Harry's hands reach out to him.  He saw them cup his cheeks before he felt them, then Harry's face inclined, green eyes bursting with emotion, lips slightly parted.  There was no time for his slow brain to think, neither was there time to react.

Before Louis knew what was happening, Harry's lips were upon his as they captured them in their first ever kiss.

Life as Louis knew it would never be the same again.


	14. Chapter 14

The concept of time evaporated the moment Harry's lips pressed against Louis' for the first time.

Thick black clouds of fog, that had engulfed Louis' brain and trapped his thoughts in jumbled clusters of random letters and numbers, were severed and destroyed by the bright dazzling sunshine that streamed from Harry.

Stunned to the core, Louis' eyes fluttered shut.  Harry's thumbs applied gentle pressure to his cheekbones, his finger tips gently massaged the back of his head through his hair.

Over and over Harry's full, soft, hesitant lips fluttered against his own, each kiss lasting longer than the last.  Even within his wildest dreams, Louis hadn't the imagination to believe that something so simple could make him feel this level of emotion, or take him to a place of such contentment.

For the first time in his life Louis felt complete, the core of his existence finally centred.  

Within the solar system the Earth orbited around the Sun.  The Earth needed the Sun to survive, relied upon its warmth and light.  Without the Sun, everything and everyone on Earth would wither and die.

Louis was the Earth.  He could be as strong as granite, command with the persuasion of a riptide, be as gentle and carefree as a kaleidoscope of butterflies... but he would be nothing without Harry.  Harry was the Sun, not only did Louis' being revolve around Harry, Louis wouldn't be able to survive without him.

With every gentle kiss, passionate energy flowed between them.  Louis' hands found their way to Harry's hips, the palms of his hands so hesitant that they almost ghosted atop his jeans, half scared that if he was to grip too hard, Harry would disappear.

"I love you so much Lou."

Harry breathed his words against Louis' lips in the softest whisper, before applying a little more pressure which Louis blissfully responded to.

A little tap in the centre of Louis' bottom lip had his heart begin to race.  Harry had gently dabbed the tip of his tongue there.  It had only lasted a fraction of a second, but it was enough for Louis' anxiety to kick in.

 

Once Harry had kissed Louis, he just couldn't stop.  He didn't want to, and in all honesty he wouldn't have been able to if he tried.  Harry had waited too long, agonised too much, dreamed to the point of distraction.  But nothing he had imagined had come close to the perfection he had just experienced.  Love flowed between them, free, natural and mutual.

If Harry hadn't have known better he would have thought that Louis was nervous.  The alpha's hands trembled where they barely held his hips, and the faintest of whimpers escaped the depths of his throat between kisses.  It was like he didn't know what to do, and was simply so adorable.  Harry couldn't help but question his performance just a little bit.  He felt so inexperienced in comparison, but as always Louis knew how to put him at ease.

Harry yearned for more though.  Not too much, but he wanted to kiss Louis like the other omega's got to.  It had amazed him that Louis hadn't even tried to slip him the tongue, but maybe Louis was waiting for him to make the first move?  It would be just like the alpha to wait until Harry was ready, only the omega had waited long enough.

Without further hesitation Harry dotted the tip of his tongue upon Louis' bottom lip, expecting Louis to take it as an invitation to take their intimate encounter to the next level.  

Instead, Louis kinda froze under his hands and looked away, their contact broke, a faint blush coloured his neck.  Harry's heart sank, but before it could get too far down, Louis shook his head, gripped at Harry's hips firmly and leaned back to kiss the young omega once again.  But when Harry repeated the same act with his tongue, Louis turned flustered once more, his mouth stayed tightly closed, the hand upon Harry's hip tightened a fraction.

"Lou?  What am I doing wrong?" Harry whispered on the verge of tears.  He nosed at Louis' cheek, their foreheads pressed together.  "I know I must be rubbish at this but..."

"It's not you," Louis groaned as he tilted his head to the side just a fraction to peck Harry's lips.  "I... I... fuck..." he swore.  "Babe... I... don't know what I'm doing!  I'm nervous ok?"

Harry couldn't stop the snort that escaped his mouth into Louis' astonished face.

"Lou, it's ok.  I know you've kissed hundreds of omegas.  You don't have to pretend for me,  I don't care about your past."  He moved his hands around Louis' waist and pulled the alpha towards him as his lips trailed across the smatter of stubble on his jaw.  "I just want you to kiss _me_!"

Harry didn't know what to expect, but it hadn't been for Louis to frown sadly and take Harry tenderly in his arms, where the alpha hid his face in his neck and squeezed him tightly.

"What if it's just you?" Louis' muffled voice asked suddenly.  Harry could just about hear him over his heart beat that had begun to pound too fast.  "What if the only person I've ever kissed is you?  Because it is."

 _What_?

Harry's hands sprung to Louis' shoulders to grab them firmly.  He had to push him backwards just so he could have a good look at the alpha's face.  The suggestion was ludicrous!  Harry _knew_ about Louis' reputation!  He _knew_ Louis had spent every single one of his ruts with Eleanor! He _knew..._ the expression on the alpha's face when he was telling the truth...

All of a sudden Harry felt dizzy.  His head swam, overwhelmed by the slew of realisations which flooded his thinking space.  If Louis had really never kissed anyone else... then that meant...

The carpeted floor seemed to rush up to meet him as his legs collapsed beneath, only saved from face-planting the floor by Louis' agile reflexes.

"Fuck!" Louis hissed to himself as he scooped his baby up in his arms to sit him upright.  

Harry's head was carefully but hastily shoved between his legs, colour returned to his previously bloodless cheeks and the nausea he'd felt subtly slipped away. He was very aware of Louis talking to him whilst he stroked Harry's back in soothing circles.

"It wasn't just this time was it?" Harry managed to croak out at last.  "You've done that for every rut haven't you?"

Gingerly, Louis' hands left Harry's back and sank down to sit directly in front of the shell-shocked omega, who stared at him as though he was a stranger instead of his best friend.

"It's why you never told me..." 

It wasn't even Louis that Harry addressed.  The words he spoke were his way of arranging his thoughts into a logical order.  Louis didn't blame him.  This was a huge bit of information to take in.

"...there was nothing to tell."

Harry's wide eyes searched Louis' face.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

It was the million pound question.  Louis had managed to avoid it for so long.  But he couldn't any longer.  The day had come to tell the truth, and as worried as he was to come clean, he didn't want to mislead Harry any longer.  He had never wanted to in the first place.  It had just kinda happened.

"Harry I..."

"You've always been mine."  

Harry didn't even wait for Louis to answer his first question.  The cogs in his mind spun too quick to wait for a response, and to be honest the answer didn't even matter.  For so long Harry had genuinely thought that he had been competing with hundreds.  But he hadn't... it didn't make any sense... until Louis' voice burst the bubble of confusion he was stuck in and he heard all that he needed to hear.

"I have _always_ been yours."

Mouth half open, a dazed but determined expression upon his face, Harry scrambled onto his knees.  He almost towered over Louis who was small and cross legged, his soft eyes followed the omegas every move as once again Harry cupped his face with the palms of his hands.

"Now we're each other's," Harry breathed.  The emotion made his voice crack and his eyes were moist around his eyelashes... so were Louis' as he wrapped his arms around the most significant person in his life.  They didn't need to say the words aloud, they both knew it in their hearts, and what better way to seal the start of their relationship than with a kiss?

 

"How did all of this happen?" 

Harry's smile was soft and sleepy as he tangled his legs with Louis' under the duvet.  If he didn't feel so tired, Harry would have been convinced that he was already in dream land.  It was all so perfect.  Once the alpha's hesitancy had thawed and he had gained more confidence to express such physical intimacy, Louis' kisses were passionate and romantic, but still on the right side of sweet.  Even more so when Louis had hoisted Harry up into his arms and carried him to the bedroom.  Just so that they could cuddle up close and kiss some more.

Now they were deep into the moonlit hours, the perfect time to share secrets and revelations.

Louis was only too happy to oblige.  He had kept this a secret from Harry for far too long, but as his finger tips tangled in his curls once more, and their lips came together for another long and luxurious kiss, Louis knew he wouldn't have done it any other way.

 

 

Louis was on the cusp of eighteen years old.  

In some ways he was having the time of his life.  The band was going from strength to strength, he got to spend his days with three of his closest friends on a daily basis and his best friend Harry had become his own personal cheerleader.  

But there was something on his mind which consumed him all the more with every day that past, and considering how time specific it was, the fact that he had no idea what to do about his problem when it arose made Louis dread it all the more.

Louis was close to presenting.  He could feel it inside, sense his body changing to accommodate his new biological status, and although it was what he wanted, Louis worried what he would be like when it happened.

Alphas dominated the front pages of tabloid newspapers in England on a daily basis, and all because of the scandal they caused.  Footballers who were caught cheating on their wives with multiple sexual encounters with younger, prettier omegas.  Band members who didn't have a steady girlfriend because they could just use omega groupies to satisfy their ruts.  

He was in a band and if it all went according to plan, One Direction were going to be huge!  What was he going to be like?  Would he be able to handle his instincts?  How would he get through a rut solo?  How did the others cope?  

After what felt like weeks of agonising, Louis finally plucked up the courage to speak to someone, who was not only an alpha, but someone he considered a dear friend.

Alberto, his personal bodyguard of the One Direction security team.

"It was fuckin' awesome!" Alberto had responded enthusiastically when Louis had asked him what life was like after the older alpha had presented.

Alberto exhaled the smoke of his cigarette and leaned back against the wall of the studio.  A smile crept onto his lips as he relived the past in his mind.  

"All of a sudden girls actually found me attractive!  They went crazy for my knot," he shrugged at Louis.  "I took full advantage.  Couldn't have stopped myself anyway, my hormones just ran wild!"

Louis' heart sank.  This was exactly what he hadn't wanted to hear.  

It had to be one of the reasons they were so close.  Alberto seemed to sense what Louis had on his mind.

"I don't recommend that for you though Lou," he said seriously through an inhale.  "Getting in all those omegas pants.  As fun as it was I really regret it.  Wish I'd had more control back then."

"Why?"

Alberto's expression softened.

"I fell in love," he said simply.  "I'm still in love today.  She's the most perfect girl I have ever met, all the others pale in comparison to her on so many levels."

"I never knew that you had a girlfriend," Louis responded.  "Why haven't we met her yet?"

Alberto's smile was one of pride.  "She's just started university," he explained.  "Man is she intelligent!" he laughed, deep and throaty.  "Good thing too!  With her genes, our kids might stand a chance!"

"You're planning pups?" Louis asked fairly shocked.  "But if your girlfriend has only just started university..." he did some quick calculations in his mind.

"Alright!  She's a little younger than I am!" Alberto looked sheepish and cuffed Louis' ear lightly.  "By about fourteen years," he shrugged with a content smile.  "But it works, and as much as I would love a litter of puppies with the omega of my dreams right away... I can wait.  Trust me.  I only wish I had waited in the first place and not fucked around with anything that moved!  Being with my girl is so different.  It's meaningful, we love each other." 

All of a sudden Alberto looked sad.

"I just wish that I had waited for her so we could have shared our first time."

"Would you have waited even though you weren't sure who you were waiting for?" Louis asked.  He felt embarrassed just by asking.

Alberto nodded.

"Absolutely!  There is nothing better than being that close and intimate with someone you really love."

"I think I already love someone," Louis confessed quietly.  "But we can't be together yet..."

Alberto wasn't used to Louis being this forlorn.  The Louis he was used to was bright and mischievous.  Something must really be bothering him.

"Who?" Alberto asked.  "A girl back home?"

Louis froze for a fraction of a second, eyed Alberto with consideration then shook his head ever so slightly.

"Lad," he corrected shortly.

Although this was brand new information for Alberto - that Louis was into guys and not girls - he wasn't even surprised, nor did it matter to him.

"Does the lad know?" he asked to break the silence.

Louis shook his head.  "He's too young for that yet.  He's only thirteen."

Alberto's eyes widened.

"Lou!  What the hell are you thinking!  You can't fuck a thirteen year old!  That's illegal!"

"Fuck off!" Louis growled with a disgusted look on his face.  "Didn't I just say we can't be together yet?  He doesn't know and I'm not going to tell him!  It might not even happen.  But if it does... well... I don't want to regret anything like you have.  I don't want to get to a place where Harry...

Alberto understood completely.  Louis was in love with Harry.  He should have guessed.

"I just don't know how I'm going to be able to get through ruts without fucking up!" Louis groaned with his head in his hands.  "Do I just lock myself in a room and pray for it to be over?"

Alberto went to say something, then stopped.  He watched Louis' desperate and agonised face.

"What?" demanded Louis with impatience.  "I will take any idea!"

"I had a couple of ruts between meeting my girl and her first time," Alberto admitted.  "I wanted to wait for her, so we did something... listen... why don't you talk to her.  It's her subject of expertise anyway."

Louis watched as Alberto pulled out his mobile and dialled out.

"Hey baby girl!" Alberto cooed into the phone.  It made Louis want to burst out laughing, he had never seen the big guy look this soppy!

Alberto explained the predicament they were in, then carefully passed the phone to Louis.

"Here you go.  I'm sure you'll both figure something out.  By the way, she's called Eleanor." 

 

 

Louis had not long turned eighteen and from the moment he awoke, he knew he had presented.  Not only that, but he knew that his first rut was only hours away.

"Al?  It's happened!" he groaned over the phone to Alberto desperately as he felt his groin throb and twitch in the most alarming manner.  "Help me!"

"Don't worry mate, I'm on my way," Alberto reassured the younger alpha immediately as he gently shook his sleeping girlfriend awake.  "We're all ready for this remember?  Everything is going to be fine."

"Just get here!" Louis groaned.  He was not feeling good in the slightest.

Before he knew it Alberto had let himself into his hotel room and had chucked a baggy t-shirt and a pair of shorts at him.

"Get dressed and I'll smuggle you up to our room," Alberto told him kindly.  "Don't worry.  El and I will take care of you."

Louis nodded and shoved the t-shirt over his head.  He felt feverish and desperate for a particular part of him to receive attention.  He couldn't keep still.  Alberto noticed and smirked.

"All will be over soon," the elder alpha promised.  "You'll be back to normal and guilt free in no time." He grabbed Louis by the shoulder and shoved him towards the door.  "Come on, El needs time to prep you before this thing properly kicks in!"

Alberto pretty much frog-marched Louis to his hotel room and shoved him through to the bedroom, which Eleanor had already set up her equipment.

"On the bed mate," Alberto urged him with a small tap on his bottom.  "Chop, chop!"

It was the first time Louis had met Eleanor in person.  They had talked over the phone quite a few times over the last few months to plan out exactly how his first rut was going to happen.  Eleanor had even taken some time out of university to ensure that she would be around for when the day came.  Louis was incredibly touched by her sacrifice.

"Don't mind him," Eleanor told him gently and patted the bed.  "How are you feeling?  Are you sure this is what you want?  You can have second thoughts you know.  We won't judge you."

Louis shook his head and lay down flat on his back.  He was sure.  He wanted to do this more than anything.  Suddenly a thought struck him and he pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket, which he had hastily shoved in before Alberto had hustled him from the room.  He wanted it stuck to the ceiling above him, to keep his head in the game.

"Aww, that is so sweet!" Eleanor gushed as Louis fixed the photo of him and Harry above his head.  She went and took a look at it.  "He looks adorable!"

Louis nodded.  Harry was all smiles and dimples in that picture.  He was adorable.  Louis loved him so much.

Eleanor checked that Louis was comfortable before she propped his head up a little higher.  Alberto watched her with admiring eyes.  She had the ability to put anyone at ease, even a skittish brand new alpha like Louis!

Louis was so nervous.  He appreciated how Eleanor was talking him through every step she took to prepare him, but he was increasingly distracted by what was going on within his shorts and now he was just embarrassed.

Eleanor didn't even look in that direction, even for a fleeting glance.  That was not why she was here.

The alcohol swab felt cold on Louis' wrist, followed by the sharp prick of the needle.  Eleanor talked to him the entire time as she inserted the catheter for the IV and dressed it accordingly.

"Your arm might feel a little cold as it infuses into your bloodstream," Eleanor reminded Louis as she set up the drip bag on a stand next to the bed.  "You'll start to feel the effects after about eight minutes.  By ten you'll be fully sedated."

Louis nodded.  He wasn't even looking at Eleanor anymore, he was staring at his photo of Harry.  He wanted to remember exactly who this was all for, and why.  The last thoughts he consciously had before he slipped under was how chilly his forearm felt and how Harry deserved the most loyal and devoted alpha.  He would do it all to be that alpha.

 

 

"You went through _all_ of that for me?" 

Harry stared at Louis with amazement.  What a thing to put yourself through!  To purposely drug yourself to prevent actually spending a rut with an omega.

"I didn't want to be _that_ kind of alpha," Louis told him simply.  "I wanted to be _your_ kind of alpha."

All Harry could do was to shake his head, mouth partly open in silence.  There were no words to describe how he felt inside.  He had harboured all these ideas about how Louis lived his life inside his head for so long, that this new knowledge overwhelmed him.

There were three little freckles upon Louis' cheek which Harry had always found inexplicably fascinating.  In front of Louis' heavy lidded yet watchful gaze, Harry gently thumbed over the small expanse of skin, then slowly inclined his head and pressed a slow, long kiss to the place where his imagination had visited long before he was physically allowed.

"I've wanted to do that," Harry murmured with contentment before sweetly pressing yet another kiss to Louis' lips, "for so long."

The alpha smile was crooked and broad.  "Was it worth the wait?" he asked as he twisted the hair at the back of Harry's head between his fingers, their legs tangled together under the duvet.  

"I just can't get my head around it," Harry tried to explain to Louis, his mind once again in a spin.  "Only a few hours ago I was at Nick's, absolutely convinced that you and Eleanor were actually a thing..."

"Because Nick said something?" Louis asked with a sigh as he squeezed Harry a little bit closer to him.  "Babe, he really does _not_ like me.  You know he loves to spread shit..."

A finger tapped his nose and shut Louis up instantly.

"If it hadn't been for Nick and Twitter then we wouldn't be here now," Harry stated softly and nosed at Louis' temple, who frowned but pulled Harry closer to him, even though they were already coiled tightly together like two links in a chain.

"How so?  Not that I'm complaining," Louis added hurriedly.  "But I have no idea how you're here.  What on Earth happened to make you come all the way here?"

With quiet contemplation Harry gazed into Louis' beautiful blue eyes as though they held all the answers of the universe.    

"There were pictures of you and Eleanor on Twitter," Harry explained carefully.  "Said you were in rut and that you were here.  At face value you had broken your promise to me... I was furious..."

"Harry, I didn't..." Louis started to protest weakly.

"I know." Harry silenced his alpha with a quick kiss instantly.  "I know that now.  But I didn't then.  I was so angry with you, because it honestly felt as though my whole world had just exploded and I was free-falling through space.  I thought you had just killed off my future for the sake of a rut!" 

"I'm so sorry..."

"I came here to fight for you."

The defiant gleam of possessiveness in Harry's eyes was hard to miss, and took Louis by surprise.  In all these years Louis had been convinced that he had seen each and every one of the young omega's expressions.  But he had never seen this.

"Fight for me?" he asked dumbly.  Why couldn't he string an intelligent sentence together?  This was a huge moment and that was the best he could come up with?

Passionate heat blazed as Harry slid his hand to the back of Louis' head and kissed his mouth with an air of ownership.

"There was no way that I was just going to sit at home and let you break my heart!" he stated hotly.  "When I stormed in here earlier, I was fully prepared to drag her off of you by her hair!  I would have..."

Louis was shocked.  Harry was mild mannered, polite and angelic in disposition.  But just like a couple of previous occasions when it had come to Louis' questionable (yet fictional) antics, Harry had once again channelled his alpha shaped spirit animal.  Louis found it outrageously attractive.  Especially when Harry grabbed his face with both hands and rolled him onto his back to kiss him deeper, hard enough to express how possessive he felt over the thought of Louis with someone else.

It was all suddenly just too much.  Although his alpha-in-rut instincts had elapsed, his typical horny-and-sexually-deprived lad hormones had awoken from their slumber.  

Drained of energy from his rut, still groggy from the remainder of sedatives in his blood, emotionally fragile from Harry's unprecedented appearance, Louis feared his mental capacity could only stretch so far before fatigue overtook him, or his body tried to take advantage of his mental weakness and attempt to push him into something he wasn't ready for.

Ever so gently Louis manoeuvred Harry in his arms so he could hold the younger lad to his chest, feel his breath upon his neck and bury his own nose into Harry's soft hair.  Not only did it give his eager hormones a chance to calm down, but there were things he wanted to know which only Harry would be able to tell him.  Things that he didn't particularly want his thoughts to linger upon after tonight.

 

"I knocked on the door, waited for an answer and just stormed in," Harry recalled once Louis had managed to persuade him to finish his story.  "Almost knocked Alberto off his feet, that was how desperate I was to get to you!"

A small line creased Harry's forehead into a frown at the memory.  Here in Louis' arms it seemed so distant a memory to him now, not something that had only taken place a couple of hours beforehand.

"Alberto shouted an alarm to Eleanor.  She called back so I knew exactly where to go.  He tried to grab me, but I was too quick for him," Harry continued deep in thought.  "I ran into the bedroom.  My heart was pounding in my chest, I was so scared of what I was about to see.  I saw Eleanor first... fully clothed... that startled me... I was expecting to see..."

Harry trailed off for a moment, the hint of a grimace upon his beautiful face.  Louis understood, he didn't really want to picture Eleanor naked either!

"Then I saw you,"  Harry whispered, voice husky with emotion.

They lay side by side, curled in towards each other so that their noses were only centimetres apart.  Louis' finger tips idly played up and down the back of the younger lad's neck, making the latter close his eyes in pleasure and his own hands still where he had been caressing the expanse of the alphas lower back.

"You were lying on the bed," Harry murmured, after Louis had nosed at his cheek and softly asked him to continue.  "You were so still, clothed, so pale in colour, and there was a tube stuck into your arm.  I was so scared," his voice tremors as though a whisper of his fear still lingered despite the truth already revealed.  "I wanted to get you out of there.  I tried to get to your side, but Alberto had a hold of me.  He wouldn't let me near you.  Said I had to leave.  So did Eleanor.  Kept saying that you were fine and that I had to trust them.  But I couldn't.  I shouted it in her stupid face!  I struggled against Alberto. I didn't want to leave the room without you!  I really thought you were in trouble... and then..." 

Louis felt Harry stiffen in his arms, the muscles in his neck tighten beneath his finger tips.

"What happened?" Louis asked in his most careful tone and tried to mask how anxious he suddenly felt inside.

"You started to murmur in your sleep, began to toss and turn fretfully, as though you were having a bad dream and were unable to wake yourself," Harry explained as though it was uncomfortable to admit.  "Eleanor started to panic - I don't really know what she was saying - I was arguing with Alberto about calling an ambulance..."

"Babe, I was never in any danger..." Louis tried to soothe the irate omega.  "Al and El would never..."

"Well I didn't know that did I?" Harry snapped in spite of himself.  "I thought that you were having some kind of seizure!  I didn't know how to react.  As far as I was concerned you needed help, and they were making you suffer!"

A rush of gratitude swept through Louis' veins like a warm tidal wave.  Despite Harry's initial worries it touched Louis so deep to hear how protective Harry had been over him whilst he had been at his most vulnerable.  

"Anyway, El was trying to calm you down, Alberto had actually managed to get me out of the room and pinned me to the floor..."

"Did he hurt you?" Louis demanded, instantly furious that Harry could have come to any harm because of him.

Harry shook his head.  "He wasn't exactly rough with me, I was just too upset at that point to resist.  He told me to calm down, and then said something sketchy about sedation and how it was your decision and that you had made a promise to me that you didn't want to break.  Told me that you wouldn't be able to cope with how I found out and that I should just go home and carry on as normal!"  Harry managed a weak chuckle.  "Like I could do that!  Even Eleanor said I should forget it ever happened until you were ready to talk about it.  I told her I didn't believe her.  Then she showed me the picture taped above your head... pleaded with me to give you time to come to me and tell me for yourself.  I agreed... well I pretended to.  I hid across the road and waited for them to leave so that I could come back for you."

"Why didn't you do what they asked?"

How Harry could manage to look that adorable when he was using all his power to glare at him was a riddle that Louis couldn't answer.

"Because I didn't want to wait five years for you to bring it up, and if you did, all you would do is talk," Harry groaned, and Louis jumped with surprise when two hands slipped down the back of his shorts and squeezed hard.  "I didn't want to have another chat about how our relationship could go wrong.  It's been agonising a wait as it is, this isn't a game of chess where we dance around each other for eternity.  When I saw my picture stuck above your head and I really thought about what Alberto and Eleanor were telling me, it really hit home that all you needed was a little push in the right direction.  How much more proof did I need that you were as committed to me as you had always said you were?"

Louis nodded silently and let Harry continue without interruption.  It wasn't lost on him that Harry was intent of pressing each and every limb closer to his own so they were even more tangled up beneath the sheets than before.

"I love how much of a gentleman you truly are.  I love how you always find new ways to surprise me."

Harry's mouth stretched into the biggest, love struck smile that left Louis a little dazzled by the brightness.

"I found it hard to believe that you would even try something like that once, let alone from the very start!"  

The fact that Harry sounded amazed by the thought of such an act confused Louis at first, after all, to him it was the most natural occurrence in the world.  To save himself for someone he truly loved.

"How could I have gone home without properly thanking you for such a selfless act, or for you to find out later that I knew and didn't understand what you had sacrificed for me?"

"Wasn't that much of a..."

"You went against nature Lou.  You didn't have to but you did," Harry argued, slightly breathy with awe.  "You are the most romantic, chivalrous, selfless alpha I have ever known of.  As far as I am concerned I am - and always have been - your omega, and I refuse to leave this room... this bed as anything else!"

Louis' head spun as Harry ended his speech with a low growl and needy mouth capturing his once more in a hungry kiss.  If this was Harry's idea of persuasion he could have anything his little heart desired!

"I love you."

Soft, warm eyes met Louis' as the elder alpha found himself being pushed slightly away, head pressed into the comfort of pillows.

Half of his head space still resided in the beautiful reality of the moment, the other floated on the cusp of dream land. Harry's words - simple and effective as they were - merged the two together to the point where Louis couldn't quite decipher what was really true with what he had imagined before.  Reality could be harsh and cruel as he had learned many times before.  What made this any different to the times where he had dreamt one scenario and woken up to another less appealing reality?

"Lou?  Are you ok?"

Harry's face was blurry.  Louis blinked lazily, a half-hearted attempt to regain focus.  A gentle hand cupped his jaw, soft skin comforting as it caressed his cheek.  Louis smiled.  This was beautiful. If this was a dream he never wanted to wake up!

"Lou?  What's wrong?  Do you feel alright?"

Louis frowned.  Harry's voice sounded so far away, as though he was speaking from under water, muffled and disjointed, but worried all the same.

"Feel fine," he tried to reply, but all that came out of his mouth was an incoherent slur.  Not that it mattered.  What Louis wanted was another kiss, and then one or four hundred more.  He had waited so long, and this could disappear at any time.

"Lou, you're really starting to scare me.  Please love, look at me!" Harry begged as he watched Louis' closed eyes and twitching mouth.  Even the arms around him weren't holding him anymore, just slung around his hips, a dead weight against his joints.

Ever so slowly Louis' eyes flickered partially open, his nose wrinkled and his whole facial expression changed as his mouth slid into a dopey smile.  The same smile Harry always saw on the alpha's face when he was recovering from a bad case of jet lag.  

It was a relief to realise that Louis was just overtired, and more so that Harry knew exactly how to take care of him.

"Cuddle up and go to sleep Lou?"  Harry whispered, his smile audible in his tone of voice, which vanished in a heartbeat as a visible shadow of anxiety clouded Louis' face.  Clumsy hands grasped at Harry's face.

"No!" Louis just about managed to whimper.  He didn't want this to end.  This happened almost every time he was sedated for a rut.  He would dream that he had told Harry everything, they would kiss, Louis would fall asleep in the comfort of his arms... and then wake up alone.  "Go!  You... always... go!  Not ready... love you!"

"I'm not going anywhere Lou, I've just got you," Harry insisted sincerely as he complied with the insistent, clingy touches from the alpha and melted into his embrace, where he nuzzled into the elder's neck.  "Just go to sleep my love, I'll be here when you wake up.  I promise."

Louis didn't reply as such, the flimsy grasp of his fingers tightened the minutest fraction, but slackened as his breathing finally evened out, and Harry was sure he had fallen fast asleep.

The hotel room was so still, Harry could almost hear the silence, between the faint noise of passing traffic on the road outside, the beating of his own heart, and the deep breathing of his boyfriend whose arms he now lay in.

Harry had been in this position before.  He'd cuddled with Louis in bed more times than he could count since he was very small, but everything had changed, and it was just so unbelievably wonderful that he couldn't find the right words to even explain it to himself.

Before his eyes fluttered shut, Harry spent the last few minutes before his slumber memorising exactly how Louis looked at this moment.  Defined cheekbones, strong jawline with a hint of stubble, shadows cast by the light of the moon.  He'd seen this image so many times in his lifetime, but this was the first time he would go to sleep with the knowledge, that he belonged to this beautiful man in his bed, and said man belonged to Harry.

 

At that very moment in time, @captainstylinson sent out a tweet which would be seen by thousands of followers across the globe.

@CaptainStylinson:  Goodnight!  FYI, these two kiss.  That is all! #LarryIsReal

 

 

If only the world knew just how much truth was in that tweet.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 15!
> 
> This has been in the works for quite a while now so it's a little longer than normal but hopefully that is a good thing!  
> Thank you so much to everyone who has been kind enough to leave kudos. It's amazing that this story has gone past the 600 mark (there was actually squealing involved!) Even more amazing are the generous comments you leave which can turn a rubbish day into a pretty great one, so thank you very much.
> 
> Wishing all of you the best for 2017  
> Lots of love xx

Even though Louis had been physically and emotionally exhausted to the core his sleep wasn't restful.  Fretfully he tossed and turned, images of his deepest, darkest demons flitting through his subconscious thoughts at the most alarming speed.

The first time he began to rouse, his brain was thick with fog, eyelids too heavy and sore to open with the last nightmare vivid enough to be real at the forefront of his mind.  There was a heavy weight upon his chest that compressed him to the mattress, and although it gave him an inexplicable sense of comfort, he was more scared of what it wasn't than what it was.

"Hah," he croaked due to his parched throat, thrusting a clumsy arm blindly across the bed.  "Harr?"

The weight resting upon his heart shifted, enabling Louis to inhale a breath of air deep into his lungs.  His nostrils twitched as a fragrance of dew soaked grass ensnared his senses.

"I'm right here Lou."

The familiar sleepy rasp coupled with the soft brush of lips to Louis' forehead banished the demons to the depths of his subconscious where they belonged.

"You can sleep love," Harry's voice from above him sounded as sweet as honey.  "You're safe with me."

Louis' arms found his boy nestled into his side and cuddled him as close as his aching muscles would allow, he barely felt Harry press a kiss to his shoulder before he had drifted off to sleep once more.  Only this time instead of monsters chasing him, his head was filled with images of himself and Harry larking in the moonlight.

 

The second time Louis awoke was because Harry had slung his leg over him and accidently jabbed his bladder with his knee.

Suddenly all the alpha could think of was open taps, cascading waterfalls and heavy rain drops.

With a groan Louis struggled to get out of bed, which was doable but would have been easier if it hadn't have been for the dull throbbing in his head, the aches in his joints and the fact that when he tried to crack an eye open the natural light from the sun was just too bright.

"Lou?  What do you need?  I'm here."

"Bathroom," Louis yawned with a wince and instantly felt an arm circle his back and clutch him under his arm to help him stand.

It was evident that Louis' eyes were sensitive to the sunlight as he kept one hand plastered over them, whilst the other gripped hold of Harry's hip as the omega led him to the bathroom.  

Over the years Harry and Louis had edged past the line that defined personal and social behaviour.  As far as bathroom activities were concerned they had little to no boundaries, which was why neither lad thought anything of how Harry guided the older lad in front of the toilet, pulled down his shorts and briefs in a very business type manner and then sat him down.  They had found out a long time ago that a tired Louis was only fully functional in a sitting down capacity.

"This is not romantic," Louis groaned through his relief as he leant back against the cistern.  "Fuck this shit!"

"Still feeling rough?" Harry asked as he went through the process he'd just handled in reverse - getting Louis from the bathroom and back to bed.  He was trying to keep the concern out of his tone but it was exceedingly difficult, especially when Louis grumbled about not being able to see where his meds were.

Ever so gently Harry tucked his boyfriend back under the covers before he picked up the small pot of various pills that had been left on the bedside table.

"What are these?" he asked quietly, then smoothed his fingers through Louis' messy fringe and pressed a small kiss to his forehead.

"Pain and nausea.  It's fine Haz, don't worry." Louis groaned, eyes squeezed tightly shut as he pressed his face into the darkness of his pillow.

But Harry did worry.  In fact, he worried quite a lot.

Deciding that Louis should not be taking that many tablets on an empty stomach, Harry made a quick call to room service. He figured it would be the same order that was placed whenever Louis had an alcohol fuelled hangover.

Whilst he waited for it to arrive Harry watched Louis sleep, deep in thought.  

At first what Louis had done for him had seemed the most romantic action an alpha could perform - and it still was - but now that Harry was witnessing the side effects with his own eyes all he felt was guilty.  It was because of him that Louis felt painful and ill.  It was because of him that Louis was so weak and tired.  He knew he had only told Louis the night before that he was sick of talking, but in the light of day Harry realised that they had more to discuss than he had previously thought.

Room service came by the sound of a gentle but persistent rap upon the door.  Harry let the lad in who waited patiently whilst the omega returned to the bedroom and rifled through the pockets of Louis' trousers for a reasonable tip.

"Wake up babe, time for breakfast," Harry whispered as he nuzzled his nose against Louis' rough and stubbly cheek. "I got you some toast, with lots of butter, just how you like it."

Louis groaned with protest and made grabby hands for Harry.  His head hurt, his eyes stung and the slightest movement made his stomach churn.  All he wanted was to snuggle with his boy... who was still yet to hand him his painkillers...

"Uh uh, not until you eat a little something," Harry insisted gently as Louis fumbled with a clumsy hand on the bedside table for the pot of tablets.  Louis admitted defeat and slumped back against the pillows, his lips twisted into a sad little pout.  Harry was careful as he helped the alpha sit up.  It concerned him how fragile he seemed, as though a wrong touch would chip his physical shell.

"I'm just tired Haz," Louis insisted as he watched his beloved boy begin to cut golden toast squares into more manageable bites.  "Don't worry.  It's just the same as a hangover.  I've survived plenty of those!"

Harry eyed Louis warily as he held a piece out for Louis to eat from between his finger tips.

"Let me look after you, yeah?"  Harry asked gently as he watched Louis slowly chew.  "Cup of tea?"

Louis nodded gratefully.  The toast was still warm and deliciously buttery.  Just a few mouthfuls made him feel a little more human than before. Trust Harry to know exactly how to make him feel better.

With a little squeeze to his hand and a comforting smile Harry hopped off the bed and started to fuss with tea bags, hot water and milk.  Louis' heart swelled with adoration as he watched through slitted eyes.  He could still hardly believe that this beautiful boy actually wanted to be with him.  He could have anyone, and yet he still chose Louis.

He accepted his mug gratefully, took a sip then lent back against the soft pillows as Harry crawled in beside him.

"How's the pain?" Harry asked with a slight frown as he tried to analyse Louis' expression.  "Do you still need..." 

His fingers toyed with the pot of pills in his hand to which Louis nodded.  "Head's pounding."  

Harry nibbled on his lower lip as he reluctantly passed over the tablets and watched as Louis swallowed the collection in one gulp, then held his arms out with a yawn.

"Cuddle me?"

"Lou?  Is it always this bad?" Harry burst out spontaneously.  "Pain?  Sickness?  Fatigue?  None of the others are like this after their ruts!"

Louis sighed heavily and reached out to pull Harry into his arms who nuzzled into his neck and peered up at him, his beautiful green eyes anxious.

"Babe, I promise you I'm fine... they're just normal side effects... I'm just feeling it more... besides, you can't compare to the others.  They do their ruts differently."

"But you're in pain!  How bad is it?  Truthfully?"

Louis sleepily stretched a little and began to stroke small circles upon Harry's back.

"Truthfully?  The pain isn't great.  Sometimes it's hard, but this time you're here... and compared to other times I don't feel a thing."

"That's your medication talking," Harry muttered into his chest.  "I wish I..."

"Shhhh," Louis soothed and began to scratch his nails lazily against his omega's scalp.  "This was my decision, and trust me it's the best one I've ever made."

A sudden thought struck Harry so hard he could swear he felt it ricochet off the inside of his skull.  

Louis groaned as Harry leapt out of his arms, worry piercing his heart as he watched Harry's face pale and back against the foot of the bed.

"Harry?  What's wrong baby?" 

Harry's face had never looked more distraught as it looked now, more regretful and guilty.  But why?

"I was horrible to you!" Harry recalled with a stutter as he thought back to the unforgiving names he had once called Louis - back when he didn't know what the alpha was really doing on his ruts.  "I called you so many things... I swear Lou I didn't..."

A shadow passed over Louis' delicate features as he dragged his aching limbs by clumsily crawling to be next to Harry.

"The things you called me were not your fault but mine," Louis insisted seriously as he cupped Harry's soft cheek.  "I led you to believe I was like that.  Believe me I wanted to tell you so many times... remember when you first found out about my ruts?  When I had to be rushed off stage mid set?"

Harry nuzzled into Louis' palm.  He remembered that night only far too well. It was the first time he had questioned how much he really knew Louis.

"You were so upset with me," Louis recalled as though they were back in his tour bus bunk.  "You sounded so wounded and I tried to tell you - especially when you reminded me what I had always said to you about losing your virginity..."

"It's the most sacred thing you can give to someone and you should wait to find the right person," Harry murmured, his green eyes huge with adoration as he realised that all this time Louis had solely been thinking of him when he stated those words.

"But I still called you..."

"It doesn't matter," Louis insisted as he pressed his forehead against the young omega's and stroked the back of his neck with his fingertips.  "If I had told you the truth you wouldn't have even thought those things."

Louis winced as his temples began to throb uncomfortably.  Harry as kind and considerate as always crawled back to the head of the bed.  He knew Louis would follow him and by the look on his face he really should get a little more sleep to recover.

 

It felt as though only five minutes had passed since he closed his eyes, but upon waking from a deep, uninterrupted and solid sleep Louis felt brand new and utterly content.

A soft, blissful smile tweaked at his lips as he tightened his hold around the beautiful boy that laid snoozing across his torso.  He could only see the top of Harry's sleep rumpled curls, his face hidden by the thick duvet, but even this little was a sight Louis wanted to wake up to every morning.  

Every night he dreamt about Harry.  He was literally waking up to the man of his dreams.

Harry snuffled in his sleep, and in the process climbed up a little higher in their bed so that his head now shared Louis' pillow, his thigh hugged the alpha's hip, a clumsy hand inched to squeeze Louis' upper arm.

Louis couldn't help himself.  Harry's soft, plush little lips were mere inches away from his own and the thought of finally being able to kiss his boy awake was just too delicious to pass up.

Sweet and gentle kisses roused the young omega with the softest of touches to his hair as Louis wound his fingers through silky strands.  Without opening his eyes, his sleep-riddled brain only half way into reality Harry thought nothing of licking subtly into his alpha's mouth as though this was how he always awoke every time he fell asleep.  

"Good morning baby," Louis whispered as he regretfully pulled back a little just so that he could see the expression of contentment on his boy's face when he opened his gorgeous green eyes.  He didn't even have to look in a mirror.  Louis already knew that his own was exactly the same.

"Morning was ages ago.  It's got to be past noon by now,"  Harry mumbled as he brought his hand up to Louis' face, first he carded his rumpled fringe back from his forehead, then traced his finger tips down his temple and cheek bones to caress his jaw in slow, luxurious, minuscule circles with his thumb.  "Do you feel better?  I was so worried about you."

There was a small crease between his eyes where he frowned, an expression which Louis really wanted to wipe away.

"Never felt better," Louis assured his worried baby as he leaned in to nuzzle his nose against Harry's soft cheek.  "You always look after me don't you?"

"Someone has to," Harry grumbled as he tangled their legs closer together under the covers, hugged his arms around Louis' shoulder blades to press his lips against his alpha's neck.  The stubble prickled his lips, but the surprised little exhale of pleasure that escaped Louis' parted lips made it worth it.

"That... feels... amazing..." Louis groaned as his toes curled from the sensation of Harry's love seeping into his skin.  "I love you... so much."

Harry smiled and pulled away, a dimple appeared as he heard the whimper and a whine.  

"Why'd you stop?" Louis pouted as he watched Harry sit up and grab his phone from the bedside table.  "Is it my turn?"

"Damn, mum's texted me twice," Harry muttered as he let himself be pulled between Louis' legs and lean against his chest.  "I'd better reply before she thinks something's happened to me and makes dad take her home early!  Her friend's just had a baby and they've gone up north to visit them," He explained for Louis' benefit.

Louis hummed an acknowledgement against the omega's shoulder as he began to reciprocate, but then stopped with a frown as Harry's words sank in.

"Your parents think you're still at home?"

Harry nodded slowly, all of his concentration on typing out a text that would have minimal lies in it.

"Well... I didn't tell them I wasn't.  But they would be really cross if she knew I was missing classes..."

"You're missing classes!" Louis gasped scandalised.  His hand grasped at Harry's chin to tilt his head back.  Two confused eyes stared at him upside down.  "What the hell Haz!  You can't be doing that!"

Harry felt hurt.  "It's not like I planned it," he grumbled and bit his lower lip.  "Besides what's wrong with missing a couple of classes if it means we get to be together?"

Louis sighed deeply and pinched his nose.  Because of him not only had Harry actually travelled all the way to London on his own, but he was missing out on his education.  It was official.  Louis was a big bad influence.

"How many classes?"

"Well... erm... I only had three today..."

"Three!"

"And... two yesterday..."

"Five... wait... yesterday?" Louis sighed heavily.  "I was out for a long time wasn't I?"

Harry's eyes softened from despair to affection.

"Yeah, but I knew you were just sleeping it off.  Don't worry, I kept a very close eye on you."

"And your classes?" Louis was anxious to not digress from his original point.  "Baby I can't have you messing up your future..."

"It's fine Lou," Harry promised whole heartedly, his eyes huge with honesty.  "My attendance record was at one hundred percent.  I phoned in sick yesterday morning whilst you were sleeping - which they were fine with.  I wasn't going to leave you whilst you were in that state!  I was really worried about you!"

Harry's little face had dropped considerably.  To him this wasn't that big a deal.  He could catch up with his missed classes any time.  Caring for his significant other was no comparison in his eyes.

"Babe..."

"If you can fly half way around the world for me, I can skip a little college!"

Louis opened his mouth to argue.  But then he really thought about what lengths he would go to for his boy and closed it.  Instead he pressed a lingering kiss to Harry's forehead.  

"Babe?"  Louis didn't want to ask his next question.  He was much too comfortably in their own little bubble, but the subject had been brought up so he couldn't really hide from it.  "When do you have to leave me and go home?"

It was clear by Harry's expression that he didn't like the question either, he even grimaced when he checked the time on his phone.

"I guess a couple of hours?" he reported sadly.  "Depends when the trains are leaving.  When do you have to be back at work?"

"As soon as I possibly can," Louis responded, his tone flat and dull.  "We get as much time as we need for our ruts but on the condition that we don't fuck about and take advantage of extra time off."

"So... a couple of hours then?" 

At Louis' nod Harry squirmed as he turned around in Louis' arms.  He probably kicked the alpha several times as he cuddled closer and closer.  If he only had a few hours with Louis he wasn't going to be separated from him for a second!  He wasn't even embarrassed when a lone tear gathered in the corner of his eye, especially when he realised that Louis was holding him just as tightly and whispering reassurances into his hair. 

 

 

"What are you going to tell the boys?" Harry asked eventually from where he was tucked snugly in his boyfriend's arms.  Louis had just turned his phone on and was trying to work out where he was supposed to be from one of Niall's daily text updates.  They had decided that Harry would leave about an hour before Alberto would be asked to pick Louis up.  Considering their last interaction Harry didn't really want to come face to face with the burley bodyguard this soon... especially when it would be blatantly obvious that he hadn't gone home like he'd said he would.

Louis cleared his throat uncomfortably and pulled Harry closer on his lap.

"Erm... about that baby... I was wondering..."

"Do you want to wait until we can do it together?" Harry piped up in a rush.  "Please don't be offended love but it's such a huge thing and I kinda want to see their faces!"

A giddy expression of glee made his features glow.  Louis beamed at him and immediately announced how similar their minds worked and that he hadn't wanted to offend Harry by wanting to keep it quiet.  Which could possibly be for quite a while depending on their schedule.

 

Although it was true that Louis didn't want anyone to know about what had taken place over the last few days, it was a more complex reason than just wanting to tell their friends together.

"Harry we need to talk about my ruts,"  Louis began seriously.  This wasn't going to be enjoyable.  The last thing he wanted to do was upset Harry or make out that he didn't trust his young omega, but this was too important to leave it to chance.

"What about them?" Harry instantly demanded.

"You can't tell anyone that I... conduct them in the manner that I do," Louis pleaded with him gently, gazing into his love's eyes and clasping his cheeks between his palms.  "It's... well... I could get into a lot of trouble babe... and Al, and El..."

Harry's face paled.

"It's illegal isn't it?  I knew it sounded dodgy!" 

"Well..." Louis shifted uncomfortably.  "It's not exactly... illegal is such an ugly term..." he fiddled with his fringe and scraped his hands down his face as he began to feel uncomfortably hot.  "Well... yeah I guess it is..."

"Explain."

The word hissed through Harry's gritted teeth.  Louis instantly felt guilty.

"Well... it's just that the drugs El uses aren't exactly licensed for use during ruts... and I'm not really meant to be using them... and El shouldn't really be giving them to me... or have them in her possession."

The alpha trailed off at the sight of Harry's aghast expression.

"Louis _William_ Tomlinson!"

Louis winced.  Harry only used his full name when he was really disappointed with him.

"How much trouble would you be in if people found out about this?" 

Louis huffed out a large breath of air in a huge rush.

"Eleanor would have a criminal record, black listed for her career choice and I would be all over the papers for a drug scandal... so... it could ruin the band too..."

Poor confused Harry was practically trembling with anxiety over the latest revelation.  What if someone found out?  Would Louis be in serious trouble with the law?  Could he be arrested?  Were these drugs in danger of damaging his health?  What on earth was he thinking? Surely he wasn't worth all this... dodgy, illegal deceit.

"Babe," Louis soothed as he dragged Harry onto his lap.  "Everything will be fine.  I just had to tell you all of this because I didn't want you to accidentally say something to the wrong person, or lie to you about what the consequences would be.  I'm telling you all this because I trust you that much.  I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt anyone, especially me."

"You can't do it anymore Lou, we're going to do your next rut a different way," Harry stated decisively with a fierce look at his boyfriend.  "What you are doing is not worth the risk.  You have me now, you don't need to do it this way again."

"Harry..."

"No!"

Harry shook his head wildly.  "Never again Lou.  You've been really lucky so far, but what if your luck runs out?  I don't want you to ruin your life!  I don't want to be the cause of that!"

"Baby..."

"I'm serious Louis!  This stops now!"

A choked sob spluttered from between his lips, his eyes filling with unshed tears.

"I don't want a relationship with a boyfriend who's in prison for a drug scandal!"

Louis had no option.

"Ok Harry," he whispered softly.  "We'll sort something else out for next time.  I promise."

"You really do promise?" Harry asked tiredly as he sank his rigid limbs into the alpha's embrace.  The older lad relaxed immediately and almost cradled his boy.

"I promise with all my heart.  I really love you so much Harry," Louis murmured as he pressed kisses to the crown of his boyfriend's head.  "I'm so sorry I'm putting you through this.  But trust me.  It was all worth it."

"Really?"

A gentle smile creased his face as Louis thumbed at Harry's blotchy cheek.

"Of course.  You were my first ever kiss.  You're my first ever boyfriend.  You are all I have ever wanted.  That is worth anything."

It was almost impossible for Harry to stay angry with Louis.  Even though he had done something incredibly stupid that had so many potential flaws, the intentions behind it just couldn't be faulted.  

"I'm glad you confided in me," Harry told Louis seriously after they had lost themselves in a long, sweet and loving kiss.  "I'm glad that you can trust me with the truth, no matter how dreadful it is."

The truth.  Louis had one more truth to tell.  It wasn't one he had wanted to share with Harry, but they were in a relationship.  He had already told him his deepest, darkest secret - in comparison this one wasn't nearly as bad.

"Hazza?  You know I don't want to tell the others about us just yet?"

"So we can tell them together?" Harry asked lazily.  He was getting tired, the last few conversations had completely drained him.  Already he was dreading the long journey home.

"Well... I agreed... but I kinda have another reason," Louis admitted carefully.  

Harry's face screwed up into a frown.  Louis surely couldn't have another confession... he wasn't sure he had the emotional stamina for another revelation.

"I didn't want them to know that we got together at the same time as my rut," Louis confessed.  "Everyone would jump to conclusions.  My reputation is pretty shit when it comes to omegas as you know.  I don't want anyone to think that I rutted with you and took advantage of you.  And it's not like I can tell them the truth about my ruts - those secrets are for your ears only!"

"I don't think..."

"They would think that I cheated on El with you..."

"You were never with Eleanor," Harry deadpanned.  "You had no one to cheat on!"

Once again the poor omega looked close to tears.

"They don't know that babe.  I want to tell them, you have no idea how excited I am to tell them that we're together and let them know exactly how much I love you.  But can we...ya'know... keep it between us for a little while?  Not give them cause to think that I'm not good enough for you?"

Harry sighed tiredly but he nodded his head in agreement.

"I hope you realise that you are going to have to majorly make this up to me," he half joked.  "I can't remember all these secrets and still have room in my brain for my studies!"

"How about I come home for the weekend and we can spend the whole time celebrating us getting together?" Louis suggested with a cheeky wink and a grin as he dived for a deep and passionate kiss that left Harry panting.

"Consider that as a preview!" Louis growled as he tugged at Harry's bottom lip between his teeth. 

 

"Lou's on his way here," Zayn announced to Niall as he read the new text he'd just received.  "Whatever it is you're doing, you should probably hide it."

"What makes you say that?" Niall asked innocently as he sat hunched over his laptop with a devious grin stretched across his face.  "I could be doing anything."

"You've been giggling like a little girl for the past two hours," Zayn replied dryly with a raised eyebrow.  "Either you are trolling some poor kids on twitter because they are being 'anti' or... well it's you... could be anything!"

"I'm replying to my comments!" Niall announced gleefully as he grabbed his laptop and practically danced over to throw himself on the settee next to Zayn.  "I only posted my first chapter last night!"

"Trial of the Champions," Zayn read aloud from the screen in front of him.  "Deep underneath the traitorous city of Fang on the Isle of White a man-made labyrinth of unknown horrors awaits our champions.  Only the fearless, the brave and the questionably stupid would risk their lives and volunteer to enter the trial set by the merciless Baron Simon Cowell, that no one has ever made it through alive."

Zayn paused to glance at his friend who was bouncing in his seat, fingers pressed to his mouth to undoubtedly hold in a squeal.

"Enter Louis Tomlinson.  To the unknowing eye he's a short, cute, self-professed 'swag-master from Doncaster' - but in reality is as sharp as the dagger he carries, as tough as an overdone steak and as limber as a double-jointed juggler."

Zayn had guessed it for a while but now he was absolutely certain that Niall was indeed crazy.  People were actually reading this?

"Keep going!" Niall urged with excitement.

"Also competing is Harry Styles.  A curly haired doe-eyed boy of Elven heritage.  A lover and most definitely not a fighter who wears his heart on his sleeve.  Why did he even enter the tournament?  Will he survive the Baron's trial?  And what happens when green meets blue over a pit of venomous snakes?  Find out if love (and very risky sex) conquers all within the Trial of the Champions."

"Look how many kudos I've already got!" 

Niall jabbed his finger at the screen.  Zayn didn't understand it.  That was probably the worst plot to a story he had ever read.  

"You have way too much time on your hands bud," Zayn said finally as he handed the laptop back.  "Don't you ever let Lou or H see that.  I just know the story is going to be ghastly."

"If they would just get together then I wouldn't have to make up stories of my own," Niall pointed out as he went back to answering the flattering comments readers had left for him.  "They are starving me Zayn!  I need to be fed!  If they won't feed me, I'll feed myself!"

"You also spend too much time on Twitter.  Seriously the stuff that comes out of your mouth..."

Zayn was stopped midsentence by the sound of Niall's intercom buzzing.

"I'll get the door, you turn back into a normal non-Larry-shipping human," Zayn instructed his friend with a smirk as he watched Niall manically shut down his fic and delete his internet history.

"Oy-oy!" Louis greeted the pair of them moments later.

The elder alpha grinned from ear to ear as he swaggered through the front door, his Vans backpack slung over his shoulder.  Both Niall and Zayn threw themselves on top of him for a hug.  It had only been a couple of days but Louis' enthusiasm and energy had been deeply missed.

"Liam's on his way back from wherever he is so we've got a few more hours to kill," Zayn reported when Louis asked him what they were meant to be doing instead of lazing around at Niall's house. "You'd think they would let us start again tomorrow, but oh no it's back to the grind stone.  I think they want to talk us through the itinerary for our next promo tour."

"That'll be fun," Louis grimaced.  "So long as I get the weekend off I don't care what they make us do till then!"

"What's on this weekend?" Niall asked suspiciously with a quirk of his eyebrow.

Louis couldn't help himself.  He knew the grin on his face was bigger and brighter than it had ever been before.  He knew the two alphas would notice and possibly wonder why.  But he also knew that if he actually explained in detail what he had planned for his weekend with Harry - the smile wouldn't be on his face for very long.

"Just wanna get home for a bit.  Run out of clean clothes and shit."

Niall and Zayn exchanged glances.  Louis was not acting like his post-rut self.  He was bright eyed and oddly chipper.

"That's it?" Niall asked.  "Nothing to do with a certain omega..."

Louis felt his smile freeze.  Did they know?  Had they guessed?  Had someone spotted Harry leave the hotel?  Was the shit actually going to hit the fan?

"... named Eleanor?"

The relief that washed over Louis felt as cool and sweet as Harry's breath on his face.  Everything was fine.  Nobody knew.  He shook his head as though bored.

Fuck he missed Harry!

"So are you two like an official thing now?" Niall asked in a tone too nonchalant to actually be casual.

The sneer upon his lips was real.

"No!  Why would you think that?"

Niall rolled his eyes whilst Zayn looked on inquisitively.

"Because you are pretty exclusive when it comes to your ruts... you two are all over Twitter.  People think you're dating..."

Louis shook his head adamantly.  He hated these types of questions, he always ended up lying.  "We're not dating, we just have an... arrangement..."

"See?  You had nothing to worry about,"  Zayn hissed in Niall's ear.  He'd seen the relief on the alpha's face when Louis had confirmed he was single.

"How's Harry?" Zayn asked Louis to change the topic.  "You gonna hang out with him when you go home?"

"Of course!" Louis said with a relieved grin.  "Can't go home without spending a bit of quality time with my favourite lad!"

For a split second his eyes glazed over dreamily as he remembered how it had felt when they had kissed for the first time, but he couldn't linger on them due to the company he was in.

"Whilst we're on the subject of my favourite curly haired little cherub," Louis piped up with enthusiasm.  "It occurred to me the other day that we've gotta start planning his eighteenth birthday!"

Niall and Zayn exchanged glances.

"But that's not for months," Zayn finally mused.  "All of our birthday's are before Harry's!"

Louis dismissed his words with a wave of his hand.

"But this is a special one," he stated the obvious as he grabbed for Niall's laptop.  "It's gonna be huge!  Kinda like one of those _'Super Sweet Sixteen'_ episodes we used to watch..."

"You mean with the spoilt brats who used to spend mummy and daddy's money like it was water?" asked Niall with a grimace.  "That doesn't seem like a very Harry type party."

"You gonna get him a pony as a present too?" Zayn smirked.  "With a big bow on it?"

Louis smiled a secret little smile.  "Actually I was going to ask him to move in with me.  So technically I'll be buying him a house!  But make sure you don't say a word," he waggled his finger between the pair.  "That's a big secret, so I'm trusting you not to let the cat out of the bag!"

Stunned silence fell.  Louis watched his friend's mouths drop open, their eyes widen and he instantly regretted sharing.  At least he hadn't mentioned the top of the line Range Rover he was also considering.  He wanted his lad to have plenty of practice and confidence for riding a large vehicle.  After all Harry would need that when it would be time to use it for its proper function of being a family car.  There was nothing wrong with being prepared.

"But..." Niall couldn't seem to finish his sentence.  Was he actually shaking?  "Move..."

"Let's talk about the party," Zayn suggested hastily as he sensed there was a slew of Larry questions brewing inside his friend's blonde head.  "What have you got so far?"

Louis shook the seed of doubt out of his head and tried to carry on as though he had never told them his gift plan.

"I'm gonna hire a club out," he explained excitedly.  "That's why we've got to act quick.  We need the venue booked so I can get the entertainment sorted out.  I'm thinking someone like Calvin Harris or Rudimental.  Harry loves their stuff.  He would be so fucking pumped if they were at his birthday party!"

He grinned around at his captive audience, both alphas hanging upon his every word and nodding along with enthusiasm.

"What about food?" Niall asked instantly. It was always his first question.  "Want me to check out catering?  I am more than happy to do that.  I mean who is the most qualified out of all of us?"

"And drinks," Louis agreed seriously.  "This is going to be the day that Harry can drink legally.  I was thinking of a signature cocktail - I've seen him giving those the glad eye on adverts.  I want it to be something that symbolises the essence of our Hazza in a glass."

Together they poured over websites full of cocktail recipes, chipped in with their own preferences, until they came up with a perfect-in-theory prototype called _The Styles -_ refreshing for Harry's general attitude towards life, sweet like his smile with a subtle kick to mark is enthusiasm, and served over ice because Harry could be quite clumsy.  

Niall had fought quite valiantly to add black pepper because 'Harry is hot!' but that had been vetoed.  This could be the omega's first ever alcoholic beverage and Louis didn't want it spat all over the floor!

The three were so involved in their plans that it took three buzzes of the intercom and a call to Niall's phone for them to recognise that Liam was waiting outside.

Liam looked tired as he walked through the front door and collapsed into a chair. There were dark shadows under his eyes as though he'd barely slept and his smile was feeble and not quite true.

"What's going on?" he asked flatly as he indicated to the mess their ideas and plans had created.

"Planning Harry's birthday party!" Niall beamed.  "Fuck Li!  It is going to be the best party ever!  Just you hear what Lou has got planned!  Harry is gonna wet himself!"

Louis launched into his ideas.  The club, the entertainment, what they were thinking for food, the design for the cake and lastly the signature cocktail.  He had been pretty excited when he'd first dreamt it up, but now his boys were involved it just amped him up even more.  He also considered that he might earn some brownie points for being such a loving and considerate friend who was putting Harry's happiness first.  The kind of lad who was one hundred per cent boyfriend material.

"So?  What do you think?"

"I hate it."

Louis actually felt as though Liam had just slapped his face with a frozen fish.  Was this even Liam in front of him?  Where were the warm brown eyes?  Where was the cheery tone of voice?  He wasn't even stating reasons to back up his decision, just that he hated it.  Even Niall and Zayn suddenly looked uncomfortable as though a fog type atmosphere had descended upon the room.

"You... you hate it?" Louis finally asked.  "Why?  What's wrong with it?"

Liam's lips curled in distaste, eyes narrowed and shrewd.

"What you have described is the perfect party for _you_ ," Liam told him coldly as he crossed his arms across his chest.  "Only you neglected to mention the strippers and lap dancers.  My little brother does not _need_ or _want_ that kind of party!  Hire out a cinema for him and his friends!  Take him to Alton Towers!  Do not put him in a disgusting sweaty club and force feed him alcohol!  Harry does not need to drink and I'd prefer it if he didn't start!  So yeah, it's a fucking shit idea!"

Louis was stunned.  Strippers?  Lap dancers?  Where did he get those ideas from?  Louis would never have those at a birthday party, for him or anyone else, especially Harry!

"Easy Li," Zayn muttered.  "Just say what you really feel eh?"

"I think it's a great idea!" 

Louis mustered a small gesture of thanks towards Niall.  He was so sweet and loyal for defending him - but why on earth did he need defending?  This was ridiculous!

"Well I guess that's one person we don't need to invite then," Louis spat eventually.  "Cinema?  Alton Towers?  He's going to be eighteen, not _eight_!"

"Besides there's barely any alcohol in the cocktail anyway," Zayn shrugged.  "We're not gonna get the lad plastered on his first night out."

"Yeah, he can do that on the second night!" Niall chortled and dug Liam in the ribs in hope that he'd get a laugh.  "Or when Harry and Louis move in together!  Gonna be parties every night!"

The whole room fell silent except for Liam's hostile breaths as he reached his boiling point.

"Harry is _not_ going to get _fucking_ drunk ever and he's _not_ going to _fucking_ move in with _you_!" Liam bellowed as he jumped to his feet in a rage and turned upon Louis, a finger jabbing at the elder alpha's chest.  "You know I thought I would have a little more time, but since you've started all this now I think I have to actually be honest!"

"Honest about what exactly?" Louis growled as he drew himself to his full height - which still wasn't as tall as Liam who didn't even falter.

"I don't like your lifestyle!"  Liam snapped back.  "You drink to excess, you fuck everything that moves and I don't want my baby brother living with random omegas swarming in and out of your bedroom at all hours because you've got a horny itch that your right hand can't scratch!  You're a _disgusting_  and bad influence Tomlinson and I don't want Harry turning out to be just like _you_!"

Forget being slapped in the face, Liam had just stapled his balls to a boulder and chucked it off a cliff!

"That's what you think of me?" Louis croaked out, small and tiny to his own ears which were filled with echoes of every word Liam had just spat in his face.

"That's what everyone thinks of you!" Liam raged.  "Management!  Our families!  The press!  It's all over the papers almost every day!  You..."

"That's enough mate," Zayn cut in with a calm hand upon Liam's bicep.  "We've got to get ready for our meeting.  We've still got to work together remember?"

Louis couldn't move.  Frozen in place and barely able to feel anything physical.  That was really what Liam thought of him?  Liam who was meant to be one of his closest friends?  It didn't feel real.  Without a word, his lips pressed together so tightly they barely showed on his face, he ignored Niall's soft protests and woodenly left for the kitchen where he lent over the table and pulled out his phone.  There were four new messages from Harry.  Each one made his heart swell and chest constrict in equal measures.

_Finally home.  Missing you so much and wish you were here with me.  I can't believe we're actually together.  I love you so much. Xxx_

_I'm thinking this weekend we should wash all your clothes.  You'll be alright just wearing boxers the entire time right? (Wink) love you xxx_

_I still can't believe what you did for me.  It absolutely blows my mind.  I know I can never tell anyone but I wish that everyone knew how amazing you have been to me.  I love you so much xxx_

_Sorry if I'm being too clingy.  I just can't stop thinking about how it felt when you kissed me awake this morning.  I wish that you could do that every day.  I love you so much xxx_

 

With trembling fingers Louis typed out a reply.  Through the open door he could hear Niall and Zayn desperately try to defend him as Liam ranted and raved.

_I love you so much baby.  You're the reason behind everything I do and no matter what anyone ever says about me you know the truth.  You're the only one I have ever shown my heart to.  I can't wait to be with you this weekend, but you don't have to do my washing for me to be in just my boxers (wink) sleep well baby, I love you xxx_

 

Niall edged into the kitchen and gave Louis only minimal seconds to hide his phone when he found himself hugged from behind.

"I have no idea where that came from," Niall told him, still shell-shocked from what had happened.  "Liam's gonna go home, he's not gonna come to the meeting..."

"Excuse me?" Louis asked through gritted teeth.  "He just threw bullshit at me and gets out of work?  Kid needs to man up and grow up!"

"Lou..."

" _Niall_..." 

"I'll talk to him..."

 

Louis didn't care how they managed it but when the car came to take them to their meeting all four of them got in.  The atmosphere was of course awkward and silent.  Not even Niall and Zayn attempted to make small talk from where they had wedged themselves between the sullen and hostile alphas.

No matter how angry and hurt Louis felt inside he always managed to be professional.  Which was why he was able to strut into Modest Management's building with a beaming smile on his face and jabber enthusiastically to everyone, from the lady on the reception to his bosses around the table in conference room C.  The only bit of satisfaction Louis got was that his act of joy really hacked Liam off - who proceeded to glower and glare through the whole thing.

"Still heading home?" Zayn asked in a low voice as they returned to the car.  "Don't you want to sort this out with Li?"

Louis shook his head and stared at the ground.  

"Funnily enough no.  I have plans.  This is all about him and whatever fucking issues he has!"

"We'll talk to him," Zayn promised.  "Try to get to the root of what's really bothering him.  He really loves you Lou.  I honestly don't have a clue where that came from!"

Louis shrugged.  "Didn't sound like he loved me at all," he bit out with venom and ruffled his hair.  "If you need me you know where to find me," he finished simply, then gave Zayn a hug because it wasn't his fault that Liam was a nasty and vindictive tosser.

"With Harry?" Zayn asked with a small smile.

"Yeah," Louis smiled sadly, but fond. "That was what I meant when I said I was going home."

 

Usually when Louis drove home he was the picture of elation.  The music would be loud, Louis would be hyper and excited.

Today he felt like a can of coke which had been opened and left in the sun for too long - substandard and depressingly flat. He couldn't even stand putting the radio on, not wanting extra voices in his overcrowded head.  The problem was that he had to cheer himself up - not for himself but for Harry.  The poor omega had suffered enough the last few days as he coped with the aftermath of Louis' rut and the secrets and lies it came with.  He had to give his lad credit, he'd been so understanding and had coped much better than Louis had expected him to.  It made him so proud to realise the kind of man Harry was going to turn out to be - the exact opposite of what people felt about Louis.

He didn't want to talk to Harry about what Liam had said.  Not yet anyway.  It wasn't the time.  Louis had promised his lad a celebratory weekend and he had every intention to keep it.  It was going to be hard enough being parted so soon because of the bands promotional trip to Europe, and Louis didn't want to waste a moment of it.  As far as Louis was concerned Harry was going to have to deal with being kissed, cuddled and pampered the entire time.  The argument with Liam could wait... or not be brought up at all.

Louis pulled into the drive and took a couple of moments to pull himself together.  He could worry about everything else after the weekend.  Unfortunately all his good intentions shattered to splinters as a frantic looking Harry threw open the front door.

"Babe?  What's wrong?" Louis gasped as he broke into a jog up the steps.

"Liam called me.  What is going on?  He kept saying I should distance myself from you and about the demons of alcohol!  Why would he say that?  Have you been fighting?  What's going on?"

Louis knew that his face had fallen.  He had no idea what to say.  Harry didn't deserve to look this stressed.  Fortunately years of friendship meant that he didn't have to explain anything.

"So you've taken my place on Liam's hit list," Harry commented as lightly as he fought to not sound as frazzled as he felt.  "How bad is it?"

Louis leaned uncharacteristically into Harry's side and sighed deeply.  "He was more impressed when we pushed him in the lake that time..."

Harry's eyes widened at the memory... the rage had been real... and Liam had known a lot less swear words when he was nine!

"I'll make the tea," Harry told him finally.

 

Once again Harry and Louis' roles had reversed and the young omega was taking care of his alpha.  Stretched out on the settee Louis rested his head on Harry's lap and enjoyed the light scratch of blunt finger nails upon his scalp as he painfully recounted almost every word Liam had spat at him.  The most painful bit was trying to avoid mentioning the birthday party or his plan about them moving in together since that was both the cause of the argument and would ruin Louis' surprise.

Harry listened carefully to each and every word without interruption.  He'd found from experience that it was best to just let Louis talk about whatever was bothering him because half the time he would feel ten times better just from sharing the problem.

"The thing is," Louis stared up at Harry with remorse afterwards.  "Liam thinks he's right because that's what he thinks is real... I am the reason he thinks that... I let everyone think that... I've brought this all upon myself.  I feel like crap because of me!"

"Babe, you..."

"I just thought that if I made it look like I was that kind of guy it would throw everyone off the scent of what I was actually doing..."

"Well, no one guessed," Harry offered lamely.  "You did it really well..."

"I've ruined this," Louis mumbled from where he had buried his face in Harry's tummy.  "I've ruined us before we've even started!  I know I said we needed time before we announced it but I didn't think... why am I so bloody dense?  Why didn't I think about the consequences to my actions?  Stories don't just go away!  People only remember the shit stuff...  this is so like me.  I'm the happiest I have ever been in my life and I can't let myself enjoy it because of my shit judgement!"

Harry wrapped his arms tighter around his boyfriend's shoulders and pulled him as close as possible.

"You haven't ruined anything," he reassured his alpha gently.  "We'll figure this out.  Just remember that we're together and that I love you.  No matter what anyone says I know the truth and I'm going to stick by you through all of it.  So what if we keep it to ourselves for a little bit.  It's not going to affect us.  Besides," a small giggle escaped his lips and made Louis shift so he was once again looking up at his baby, "people are going to think I did the impossible!  I'll be known as the one who managed to tame you!"

"I was already tame," Louis grumbled.  "But fine, you can take _all_ the credit."

Harry smiled down at his huffy boyfriend.  This wasn't exactly how he had planned their weekend together to go but he was glad that he was able to be there for Louis, to listen to him and comfort him.

"I'll talk to Liam," he promised faithfully. "I honestly don't know why he was like that with you.  But to be honest he's not really been that great with anyone lately.  He's even been funny with mum.  But to tell me that I should keep my distance from you?  That's just _ludicrous_!"

"Hey, calm down," Louis cautioned as he sat up and kissed the tip of Harry's nose.  "This isn't your fight.  This is my entire fault.  I'll make everything ok again, I promise." 

Ever so softly Louis brushed the tip of his nose against Harry's cheek as his finger tips sank into the omegas hair.  "I'll fix this for us.  The sooner that happens, the sooner we can tell everyone how much I adore you.  Because I do, you know?" he added huskily as he dotted tiny kisses across his boy's cheek towards his mouth.  "I'm so proud of you."

Harry beamed as Louis' lips pressed passionately against his and whispered promises into his mouth.  

When he had gotten Liam's call, and then seen Louis' face when he'd turned up on his doorstep, he'd feared that their newfound relationship was going to come to a hasty close.  But Louis hadn't come close to suggesting anything of the sort, even when he had been at his most upset.

"Feel better?" Harry asked as Louis pulled away and gazed somewhat dopily into his eyes and nodded.  "Because if you don't and you want your mind taken off all this, maybe we could go up to my room?  Cuddle up in bed and finally get rid of your shirt?"  He picked at the hem of it with distaste.  "I really thought that our time together would involve a lot less clothing!" he half murmured to himself.

"Patience babe, all good things come to those who wait!"  Louis smirked at the sweet little pout Harry's lips had puckered into.  "I'll order us some food.  You stick on a film and get into bed, I'll meet you there."

"In just your boxers?" Harry wheedled, his dimples popping at just the thought.  He didn't care about food or films, he just wanted Louis in as little clothing as possible so he could finally get his hands on and explore his beautiful silky skin.  Kiss him in new places he'd only been able to imagine, starting with those chiselled to perfection collarbones.

"Is that what you want baby?" Louis purred into his boyfriend's ear as he slid his fingers under Harry's own t-shirt to run them up and down his sides.  "My skin sliding against yours, access to _all_ my areas?"

A strangled whine from Harry only ignited Louis' passion as he began to mouth at his boyfriend's neck.  He had no idea how beautiful or sexy he was and that only excited the alpha all the more.

"I think... I need a shower," Harry stuttered and internally cursed himself for being so young and hormonal.  He'd just imagined Louis shirtless and had started to feel a little damp in one place and a little more stiff in another.  Louis' hands and mouth on him had only accelerated his predicament.  Could he be more _adolescent_? 

"What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously as Louis stopped what he was doing and developed a calculated expression as his little nose twitched.  It looked like the alpha was actually sniffing him.  "Do I smell?"

"Yeah... erm... Haz... you remember when I thought you were going into an early heat?" Louis asked deep in thought.  "You kinda smell like that..."

A beautiful blush tinged Harry's cheeks rosy pink.  Louis had admitted so much to him over the past few days.  Maybe he should share at least one of his secrets.

"That's not a heat," he admitted, shy because he felt so exposed.  "That's because... I'm pretty sure what you can smell... is because I'm attracted to you..."

"Me?  Are you seriously telling me that you smell like that because of me?"

Harry nodded with a deepening blush and peered up at Louis through his thick eyelashes.

"So... erm... I really need to shower..."

"Because I..." the admission had knocked Louis for six.

"Turned me on?  Yeah.  Let's draw more attention to that shall we?"

With minimal movements Louis managed to sit up with Harry straddling his lap.

"How do you manage to be such a sweetheart and yet so sexy?" he asked huskily with amazement.  "Can you feel what you're doing to me?  It's not just you."

Harry could most definitely feel it, his own arousal soaring towards his peak and his initial problem increasing.  He bit his lip and blushed deeper.  "I'm gonna... shower..." he excused himself as he kissed Louis' cheek before crawling off his lap.

Louis' eyes smouldered and dilated at the mere thought of Harry so attracted to him that he needed a shower to calm down.  He desperately wanted to follow him to see where this could lead.  Louis had waited for this for so long but he didn't want to rush Harry into anything he mentally wasn't ready for - which he clearly wasn't.  So reluctantly Louis let him go after three or four drawn out kisses that made his legs weak, and a cheeky little spank to his pert little bottom as he scampered to the stairs.  

In a daze Louis twirled his phone in his hand as he wandered to the kitchen.  There had been times in the past when he'd detected that mouth-watering, delicious scent on Harry and it had panicked him because he didn't understand what it meant.  Now he knew he could hardly believe it.  All this time.  Why hadn't he figured it out for himself? Was it possible that he had overthought everything so much that he couldn't detect what was under his nose?

 

The water was cooler than Harry would usually like but he needed it to clear his head.  He hadn't expected for him and Louis to get so heated so soon, hadn't expected for his body to react so intensely.  He'd even had to adjust the temperature setting due to how flushed and hot he still felt under the cold stream.  

Fortunately he had something to think about which was almost guaranteed to take his mind of his mind altering urges!

He hadn't mentioned it to Louis - especially after everything that had happened with Liam - and he didn't want to kill the mood between them completely - but he had a horrible feeling that he had forgotten to do something...

It wasn't something he'd promised his mum and dad because he'd put the bins out.  It couldn't have been homework because he'd missed his classes.  

As he lathered shampoo into his hair his mind wandered from his classes to his other friends.  It wasn't a secret that Nick and Louis despised each other - which was a shame because if only they gave each other a chance they could probably be really good friends - what would Nick say if he found out that Harry was in a relationship with Louis?

Downstairs the doorbell rang.   _Weird_ , Harry thought to himself and squeezed his eyes shut to prevent suds getting into his eyes.   _That food came really quickly!_

"I'll get it!" Louis bellowed from downstairs.

If Nick didn't have a problem with Louis then his boyfriend wouldn't have a problem with his friend.  Harry decided as he returned to his thoughts.  Caroline and Cara would both be really excited for them, Taylor would probably still call Louis Liam and make out that Harry was dating his own brother, and Ed would...

"Fuck!" Harry swore loudly as his memory came flooding back to him.  There was soap in his eyes and dripping from his hair, but all he had time to do was grab a towel and wrap it around his waist as he skidded to the door and almost tumbled down the stairs.

"Lou!  Don't answer the d... door..."

He was too late.  As still as a statue Louis stood clearly dumbstruck in the middle of the doorway, one hand still upon the handle.  He didn't say a single word, just stared at a very smart and dressed up Ed, stood on the doorstep outside with a shy expression on his face and bouquet of flowers in his hands.

"Er... hi... Louis?" he stuttered.  "I came to pick up Harry for our date tonight."


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 16!  
> Thank you so much to everyone who was kind enough to leave kudos since the last chapter. I really hope you enjoy this one just as much.  
> Thank you also for the kind (and sometimes blush inducing) comments on the previous chapter. We love your thoughts on the story and really appreciate the time and effort you take into leaving one. Thank you so much for your support. Take care and lots of love xxx

One of the best things about Harry and Louis' lifelong friendship was that they had experienced pretty much everything together.  They'd watched each other react to hundreds of different scenarios over the years, triumphs and mistakes combined.  It was a big part of why they were so close and in tune with each other today.

However, this also meant that Harry knew every aspect of his boyfriend's body language and even though he would only see Louis from behind the omega knew by his tense and still posture that he was in deep trouble.

The second Louis heard Harry's little gasp he swung his whole frame around to face him, a strange, tense smile plastered upon his face.

"You didn't tell me that you had a _date_ tonight Harry!" 

The tone was obviously intended to be teasing, but came out weak and strained.

"If only you had told me earlier I wouldn't have monopolised so much of your time.  Not when you had something so important to prepare for."

Harry's gaze shifted from Louis' mildly erratic expression to Ed who was pink from embarrassment and refusing to make eye contact.  Then Harry remembered that he was just wearing a towel and pulled it tighter around him as he tried to ignore the puddle of water collecting at his feet - this was a nightmare.

"It was tonight wasn't it?" Ed suddenly questioned as he feigned confusion.  The atmosphere was dense with tension from both Harry and Louis.  Ed just wanted to get away unscathed.  "I mean, you said Saturday and I thought you meant tonight or maybe... did you mean... next weekend?" 

Louis slowly and deliberately swivelled on the spot to face the ginger lad.  Harry was completely lost for words, every time he tried to speak nothing would come out.  This was simply horrific.  How was he going to explain this to Louis?  How was he going to blow Ed off without causing offence?

"Oh, are you trying to back out of the interview?" Louis asked Ed as he leant against the door frame as an attempt at casual just as Harry's anxiety began to soar.  Interview?  What was Louis up to now?

"Interview?" Ed more or less croaked as he licked his dry lips and sought eye contact with Harry for some kind of explanation.  He seemed to be waiting for a punchline, but unsure what the joke was.  "I... erm... why...?"

Louis rolled his eyes and tried to ignore Harry who had started to tug on the back of his t-shirt to get his attention.  "Great start bud!  Go ahead and piss off the interviewer and see how many dates that gets ya!"

"Looouuuu!"  Harry whined quietly in his ear.  "What _are_ you _doing_?"

"Hey!" Louis held up his hands as if to surrender.  "I don't make the rules.  But if you think that I'm just gonna let you swan off with some random to fuck knows where..." He trailed off with a superior glance in Ed's direction, pleased to see that the lad looked the definition of uncomfortable.  "Haz, you might want to get dressed.  Can't have him seeing the goods before the first date!"

Harry's mouth dropped open and he clutched his towel closer around him.  He'd almost completely forgotten he was practically naked.

"Off you pop!" Louis playfully bumped Harry's hip with his own.  "Got to get down to the formalities.  I'll be with the potential candidate in the kitchen."

Mouth half open in amazement, Harry's eyes narrowed considerably as he glared at Louis' retreating back as he watched the alpha turn abruptly upon his heel and strutted towards the kitchen.  As soon as he reached the door Louis paused, raised a hand above his head, whistled, snapped his fingers and uttered "Here boy!"

Cheeks pink with embarrassment Harry adamantly avoided the stare from Ed who still stood awkwardly upon the doorstep and shuffled after Louis.

"Wasn't talking to you sweet cheeks," Louis sighed at him without moving a muscle.  "Was talking to him," and jerked his thumb towards Ed.

"What are you doing?" Harry hissed as he started to shiver from the cold.  "Look I'm really..."

"Later," Louis murmured unable to meet his boyfriends eyes in case his rock solid and arrogant mask slipped.  "Let me get rid of him yeah?  Unless... you want to go..."

Harry's grunt was an unhappy one, but at least it answered Louis' half unasked question.  Shoulders slumped and quite miserable Harry slouched towards the stairs and shared a mournful moment with Ed.  Both of them knew that whatever was about to happen was not going to go well.

 

Minutes later Harry slunk into his kitchen fully dry and dressed to be faced with Louis and Ed sat in tense silence at opposite ends of the table and seemed to be competing in some kind of staring contest.  

"Er... hey," he just about managed to squeak as he slid into the nearest chair in between both lads, "what's going on?"

Louis and Ed both gazed at him with almost equally appreciative expressions, but whilst Louis' made Harry's ego preen with pride, Ed's identical expression just made him feel awkward.

"Very handsome H," Ed commented warmly with barely a tremor to his speech.  "Love the denim, looks good on you."

A hint of a growl rumbled at the base of Louis' throat which shut up the ginger lad immediately.  Harry wanted to glare at Louis, but a large part of him quite enjoyed this little hint of possessiveness.

"So, Ed?  You applied to take Harry here out on a date?" Louis asked crisply as he spun a pen between his fingers.  

"Er... wouldn't say I _applied_ ," Ed replied uncomfortably.  "I mean... Harry asked me out."

"You mean he invited you to an audition," Louis answered smoothly.  "You can't just go out on a date without a screening process.  It's inappropriate."

Harry kicked out at his boyfriend under the table.  If anyone was being inappropriate it was the alpha next to him.  

"Is this a joke?" Ed asked finally.  "Because I don't get it."

"Oh is this all a big joke to you?" Louis asked with a mocking laugh.  "Harry's affections are just a bit of a laugh to pass the time is it?"

"No!" 

Ed looked horrified at the suggestion.  "I think Harry's amazing!  I would never treat him as a joke!" he insisted with urgency.  "I've liked him for so long and I just wanted to spend time with him, get to know him better, treat him to a really nice night out."

Louis made a big show of rolling his eyes out of boredom.  "And what was the big plan for tonight?"

"Well..." Ed sounded both embarrassed and irritated.  "I kinda wanted to keep that private between myself and Harry.  He's the one I want to impress... not you."

"Candidate wants to make excessive, useless gestures of grandeur," Louis muttered as he wrote a note on the scrap of paper in front of him.

"Louis!" Harry snapped, his knuckles white from where he gripped the table top.  "Stop it!"

Louis didn't respond to Harry's heartfelt plea, but he did visibly flinch at the tone.

"H, don't worry about it," Ed tried to soothe and stretched his hand out to awkwardly stroke the omega's bare arm. "It's not your fault he's being a selfish, arrogant prick!"

Ed's sudden outburst sparked a number of different reactions.  Louis' eyes almost bugged out of his head as the chair he had occupied fell to the floor with a crash from the abruptness of him standing.  Harry on the other hand groaned in dismay and hid his face in the crook of his arm where it lay on the table to try and muffle out his boyfriends profanities.  He loved Louis so much, but what he was doing was just cruel and just uncalled for.

"Ed I'm so sorry," Harry finally managed to voice as he got up from the table and went to stand next to his (possibly former) friend.  "You don't deserve this and it's all my fault."

His jaw had been clenched but Ed's face considerably softened as he averted his once furious gaze to the omega who showed all evidence that he was about to cry.

"No it isn't," Ed insisted gently.  "I know he's important to you, and I really do respect that... but Nick's right... he's a nasty little shit who doesn't deserve you!"

"Fuck off!" Louis snapped and stomped towards the pair.

"I was just going!" Ed retorted with just as much venom.  "Harry, I'm sorry about tonight.  We'll have to reschedule for when your _Doberman_ is out of town!"

"Better a Doberman than a mutt!" Louis snorted.

"I'm really sorry!" Harry called out as he jogged after Ed who had stormed towards the front door.  "He's just really protective and..."

Ed sighed and turned to Harry sympathetically.  "It's fine.  I should have expected that from him," he said sadly.  "We'll talk at college yeah?"

Harry could feel Louis' eyes burning into the back of his head and just nodded silently.

"You can keep the flowers," Ed added with the smallest smile.  "Have a good night Harry."

"Don't call us!  We'll call you!"  Louis chirped with a grin much too wide to be believed as he waved Ed goodbye who flipped him off with a flourish before the door was smartly slammed in his face.

"What was all that about?" Harry demanded instantaneously.  "I can explain and all, but that was out of order!  That was plain nasty Lou!"

"I know," Louis leant back against the door and slid down until he was sat on the floor, knees up to his chest.  "I got carried away.  Got a bit jealous didn't I?"

"You were jealous?  Of Ed?  But we..."

Harry trailed off as Louis looked very slowly into his eyes with a sad, defeated smile and held up his arms, his fingers coaxing the omega to him.

"Is this what it felt like when you thought I was dating El?" Louis asked as Harry edged towards him and lowered himself to be sitting beside him.

"Like really bad heartburn?" Harry offered in a small voice and hesitantly rested his damp head against Louis' shoulder.

"Yeah, that feels about right," Louis nodded and wrapped his arm around Harry's back to rub at his upper arm in comfort.  "When did you... I'm guessing before you came to..."

"London," Harry finished Louis' sentence.  "When I saw the tweets about you and El.  I completely forgot about it.  I'm so sorry..."

"My fault," Louis shrugged and made a point of pressing a kiss to Harry's forehead, "as usual..."

Harry peered up at Louis who was just staring into space with a doleful expression.  "Are you mad at me?"

"Of course not babe," Louis affirmed distractedly then shook his head and seemed to pull himself together.  "Fuck, you should be mad at me!  I just saw him with those fucking flowers and it was either start dry humping you in the hall... or that..."

"You should have picked the first one.  Ed's a really nice guy.  He didn't deserve that," Harry scolded.

Louis groaned.  "Not helping," he muttered.  "I just thought it would be easier if I was the prick that stopped the date from happening than you being an insensitive jerk for cancelling and not telling him."

"Well that's fine for the interim, but how are my friends going to react when I tell them we're together?" Harry asked tiredly.  "I don't want to hear them talk shit about you.  I get enough of that already."

"I'm really sorry," Louis sulked.  "I just couldn't get over the sudden realisation of how close I had been to losing you.  If you hadn't have come to..."

"I didn't..." Harry began but Louis cut him off by standing up himself and then with little difficulty Louis hauled Harry to his feet.

"Can we not do this now?" Louis asked carefully.  "I'm hungry, you're hungry, I'll order, you go and get comfy.  I just need to get my head together."

"Lou I'm so..." Harry began, he couldn't stand the empty expression on Louis' face.

"Go get warm," Louis insisted with an awkward peck to his boy's lips.  "I'll be up in a bit ok?"

 

For the first time in a long while Harry and Louis were silent together.  Whilst Harry changed into some more comfortable clothes and got into bed, Louis sat at the kitchen table downstairs and mulled over what had just happened in that very room.  It was only when the food was delivered that Louis ventured upstairs to Harry but he didn't know what to say to his omega so he said nothing.  He just sat on top of the covers and handed Harry his container of soup and bag of prawn crackers.

They chewed in silence, Harry watching his alpha out of the corner of his eye whilst Louis just stared at the container in his lap.  Eventually Harry, anxious and sick of only hearing the sound of his own heartbeat, clicked on the television just for a bit of noise.  He hated the heavy, tension filled silence between them.  But he had no idea what to say first, then again, neither did Louis.

About an hour and a half after Ed had left his house Harry's phone beeped.  It was Nick.

_Ed's just told me what happened.  I'm coming over._

Shit!

_Now's not a great time._  Harry texted back immediately.

_Too late I'm outside.  Come on H, we need to talk about this!  Let me in._

Silence be damned.

"Get under the bed!" Harry directed quickly as he jumped off the bed and peered out of the window to watch Nick saunter up the front path.  "Nick's here!  You gotta hide!"

"Excuse me?" Louis snorted in disbelief.  "Babe, I love you but I am _not_ going to _hide_ under the _bed_!  Especially from that tosser!" he added under his breath.

" _Louis_!" Harry's voice heightened in pitch as he began to flap.  "Please?  For me?  I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't important to me!"

"Can't you just talk to him in the living room?" Louis groaned.  He really didn't want to be stuck under a bed - if he was discovered it would just be humiliating.

"Please?" Harry pleaded.  "I'll owe you a massive favour!  I'll..."

Both Harry and Louis' heads turned towards the sound of the front door as it opened and shut.  Nick was in the house.

Louis couldn't help but roll his eyes as Harry's head whipped around with the most beseeching expression on his sweet little face.

"Fine," he hissed.  "But you owe me one hell of a favour babe!"

Footsteps were heavy upon the stairs as Louis dropped to the floor and wiggled out of sight.  Almost immediately he was joined by a pair of jeans and a hoodie that Harry had used to help disguise part of the alpha's leg that was showing.  In his last few precious seconds when he was allowed to move Louis folded his arms under his head and watched Harry's feet hop from one to the other.  He was cramped and uncomfortable but hopefully Nick The Prick wouldn't chatter for two long.

 

"Alright mate what's going on?" Nick asked a very flustered Harry as he paused in the bedroom doorway.  "Ed called me.  Did Louis really pull that interview shit or was he exaggerating?"

All Harry could do was nod, his cheeks flamed a fiery blush.  Nick shook his head in disbelief.

"What is that alpha's problem?  You need to stand up for yourself Harry!  He may be your best friend but that does not give him the right to run your life!  I mean..." Nick snorted with disgust and ran a hand through his hair, "... that was cock blocking at its finest!  Why do you let him get away with this shit?"

"Maybe I'd changed my mind," Harry mumbled and sank down onto his bed.  "Maybe Louis was just trying to help."

Nick whistled in amazement.  "How on Earth was that helping?  Ed was really upset," he continued to scold his friend.  "He was really looking forward to taking you out.  It was going to be the highlight of his week and you and that nasty little rat go and treat him like that!  What's going on with you?  You disappeared for days and then you and Lord Fuckwit do this?  Has something happened?"

Harry's eyes flashed with uncharacteristic malice and he had to both suck in his cheeks and clamp his teeth together to prevent him from launching a verbal attack upon Nick and losing another friend.

"Come on H, I'm trying to have your back here?  Or has Dickwad told you not to talk without him present?"

"His name is Louis."

Eyes closed, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, Harry's words were more exhaled than spoken as the omega struggled to hold his composure.  Why couldn't Nick have a little bit of restraint when it came to his mouth?  Show a little sensitivity?  Respect Harry's feelings instead of calling the most important man in Harry's life every name under the sun apart from his actual name.  

Nick rolled his eyes.

"Relax H, it's not like the squirt can hear me."

"His name is _Louis_!" Harry hissed between his clenched teeth.  "It's not rat, or dickwad, or fuckwit, or any other degrading nickname you have.  It's Louis flipping Tomlinson and whilst you are with me, you will use his actual name or so help me I'll..."

"Alright, alright!  At ease soldier!" Nick shook his head in disbelief.  Ed was right, something was going on with Harry.  Those were some of the kindest names he'd referred to Louis with and although Harry had never looked pleased, Nick had never been snapped at before.  "I'll call him Louis."

Silence fell between the pair.  Harry glared, Nick tried to calculate how long was an acceptable period of time before he could start badgering his friend again.

"So, what's going on?" Nick asked awkwardly. "Why did you and _Louis_ pull that on Ed?  He's crushed."

Harry shrugged sadly.  He didn't know what to say.  All he wanted to do was come clean about what had finally happened with Louis, but it wasn't the right time.

"Come on H, talk to me," Nick asked gently as he sat beside Harry on the bed and patted his knee.  "I'm worried about you.  You're not a mean person.  I know that, Ed knows that.  It's why he likes you so much.  Why did you change your mind?  This date could have been the making of you."

"I... I can't see a future with him," Harry mumbled with well-chosen words.  "If I had gone out with Ed once then he might think I want a full blown relationship with him... and I don't."

"But he would be so good for you!" Nick argued.  "Is this all because you have feelings for Louis?  It's not going to happen H!  How many times do I have to tell you that?"

Under the bed Louis fought the urge to roll out and throttle the poisonous little rat bag sitting on top of it.  Thank goodness Harry hadn't paid his friend's thoughts any attention and gone with his instincts.

"I just don't want to get into anything serious," he heard Harry say.  "I'm not ready for that yet.  How cruel of me would it be to lie and go on a date with someone I'm not attracted to and offend them by not wanting to be anything more than friends?"

"Is it the physical stuff that's freaked you out?" Nick asked.  "Because Ed wouldn't push you to do anything you're not comfortable with.  You can't sit here and tell me that you don't want to be cuddled and kissed by someone who completely adores you."

"I do," Harry began, his voice clear and certain, "but I want it to be with someone I completely adore too... and I know Ed is not going to be that person."

"But what if he presents and someone else gets to him first and you regret it for the rest of your life?" Nick was desperately grasping at anything now.  He had set so much hope in this dating arrangement and now it was just crashing down around his ears.

"I'll talk to Ed," Harry said finally.  "I'll tell him I'm sorry.  I really didn't want to hurt him.  He's one of my closest friends.  I shouldn't have gotten his hopes up like that."

Nick sighed heavily.

"Do me a favour?  Don't tell him what you told me yeah?  Make out that it was all Louis' fault.  What you told me is only going to hit him harder and it will be easier if there's a third party he can blame.  Besides.  You might change your mind."

"I won't though..."

"Louis' not going..."

"Stop it!" Harry begged with a whine.  "Just... let me have my fantasy ok?  I can't stand your opinions about Lou anymore.  If you were my friend, you would respect my feelings about him."

"H, I don't want him to hurt you."

"He won't.  He never has done.  He never will. Accept that."

Nick knew when it was time to stop fighting.

"Fine.  But if he ever breaks your heart..."

"Don't come crying to you?" Harry finished sarcastically.

"No," Nick told him gently.  "If he ever breaks your heart - and I'm almost certain that he will - you can count on me to be there for you."

_What a crock of bullshit,_   Louis thought to himself.  How Harry managed to listen to that without hurling he would never know!

"So... did anything happen whilst I was sick?" Harry asked hesitantly, desperate to change the subject.  "That's why I wasn't at college much last week.  Had a... tummy bug or something..."

"Oh, that's where you were.  I did text you but you didn't answer.  Thought you were still upset about that twitter stuff."

Harry shook his head.

"Oh well, nothing much.  Ed was pretty much hyper since... well..." Nick cleared his throat as he realised he couldn't finish the rest of his sentence.  "The biggest news of the week was that Taylor has actually been signed up by a record company!  And not just your crappy independent one either, a really good one!  One day she was at college, the next she was jetting off to LA to start recording her album!"

"Wow... that's incredible!" Harry replied, stunned at the news himself.  "Good on Taylor.  She deserves it!"

"No she doesn't," Nick rolled his eyes at Harry's politeness.  "She..."

But by now Louis had grown tired of being stuck on the floor and had given a sharp pinch to the back of Harry's heel.  Now was not the time for small talk and the omega seemed to need reminding that he was there!

"Er... you'd better go... I don't think I'm quite over that bug yet..." Harry lied after he had yelped and startled his friend.  "I really need to..."

Nick looked concerned but Harry did look pretty anxious and poorly.  Must be a toilet related bug - poor kid.

"I'll talk to Ed again," he promised Harry as he made his way out.  "Don't worry, I'll smooth it all over before Monday."

"Thanks," Harry wriggled on the spot.  "Let yourself out?"

Louis waited until he heard the front door slam before he wriggled out from under the bed.

"I'm so sorry!" Harry immediately yelped as he pounced upon him.  "I messed up!  I was upset and I just wanted to retaliate and..."

Louis wrapped his arms around his boy and squeezed him tightly.

"It's my fault too.  I'm sorry I got so jealous with Ed.  I was horrible to him wasn't I?"

"My friends already dislike you for no reason, you just gave them a _massive_ reason," Harry told him reproachfully but patted Louis' back when he hid his face in his neck muttering profound apologies.

"So, are we alright?" Louis asked tentatively as he dropped a kiss upon Harry's cute little nose.  "Still want to be with me?"

"Only for forever," Harry beamed mistily, relieved that even though both of them had messed up pretty badly they were still both happy in the same place.

"Can we get back to our original weekend plans now?" Louis asked as he stretched out his back the best he could with his arms full of Harry.  "I've been tormented by a ginger man, been stuffed under a bed and I barely tasted my Chinese food because I was worried about you!"

"You think that's bad?  I owe you a favour!" Harry tried to joke.  "You can be so unreasonable sometimes!"

"Hmm," Louis grinned and pulled Harry's face close to his and nuzzled their noses together then slid his hands around his waist until he had a good handful of Harry's pert little cheeks.  "You _do_ owe me!" He sounded delighted.

"What do you have in mind?" Harry asked nervously with a hitch in his words, mouth dry.  He couldn't describe how good it felt to have Louis' nimble fingers massaging his bottom, but once again a part of him was starting to take an interest and he really didn't want to take another shower to cool off.

"How about we get cosy in bed, cuddle up and I'll think about it?"

 

"Now this is the weekend I had in mind," Louis whispered huskily as he seductively kissed up Harry's neck towards his jaw.  "Just you and I and a bed."

Harry hummed in appreciation, the tips of his fingers gently scratching at his boyfriend's scalp as he melted into the mattress beneath him.  Every part of his being thrummed with happiness, the warmth of Louis' love seeping deep down into his bones.  This was what he had been waiting for, what he had dreamt about for so long.  To be cuddled with Louis in their own little bubble, hidden away from the rest of the world with only each other to concentrate on.  Not that Harry would be able to focus on anything else with Louis' tongue doing _that_ to his ear.

"This is so worth it," he breathed as Louis thumbed at his cheek and began to trail his tongue along his jaw line.

"What's that baby?" Louis asked pausing his assault and shifting slightly so that he was hovering over his baby, in the perfect position to flutter butterfly kisses over his perfect little nose and rosy cheeks.

"The aggro I get about you," Harry breathed contentedly.  "Keeping us a secret for a little while.  I kinda like having you all to myself without all the extra questions and comments."

"I'm sorry," Louis murmured as he dipped his face for another kiss.  "I..."

"Shh..." Harry pressed both of his hands to Louis' cheeks for one more soft kiss before the alpha could speak again.  "I'm happy, I love you and we're together.  That's all that matters to me."  He yawned, finally tired after his emotionally exhausting day and rolled over to his side, smiling sleepily when Louis moulded himself to his back with a kiss to his shoulder.  It was all that mattered. He and Louis were in love and they were together just like it was meant to be.

 

It was around one in the morning when Louis heard the sound of a car pull into the drive and then the sound of the front door.

"Babe?" Louis gently stoked Harry's cheek with his index finger until he stirred.  "I think Liam's home.  Am I meant to be here?  He'll probably want to talk to you and..."

Clumsily, mind foggy with sleep Harry nodded, a frown already creasing his forehead.  After their phone call earlier Liam hadn't exactly been kind or discrete about his attitude towards Louis.  

With a brief kiss to his temple, Louis snagged a pillow, hopped out of bed and rolled underneath it - if he was going to be stuffed in that small space again he might as well be comfortable.  The things he would put himself through for his boy, and just in time too, by the sound of Liam's heavy footfall upon the stairs.

 

"Harry?" Liam asked in a low voice as he poked his head trough the gap in the door.  "Are you asleep?"

Feigning tiredness Harry clumsily rolled over to face his brother.

"You came home," he mumbled as he struggled to sit up.  "I didn't think you would after earlier."

Liam pushed the door open enough for him to walk in and creep over to Harry's bed.  

"I wanted to talk to you about that," Liam told his brother seriously as he knelt beside the bed and folded his arms on top of the covers.  "You ok?"

Harry frowned.  "I was better before you called," he said pointedly.  "Now I'm just confused... and annoyed with you," he added with honesty.  "Why did you say those things?  Have you and Louis been fighting?"

Liam sighed.  "Where is Tweedle-dee anyway?"

Beneath the bed Louis bristled.  He hated it when Liam insinuated that Harry was dumb.  It was one of those things that Liam resulted to from time to time - picking on his younger brother for no reason.

Harry sighed heavily.  "What do you want Li?  I'm tired."

"I need to talk to you about Louis," Liam started carefully.  "Harry... I really think you need to rethink your friendship with him."

"Well I'm not!" Harry snapped back instantly.  He was beginning to feel a little hot all over and all because he knew that Louis' ears had just pricked up and would hear every word that Liam was going to say.

"H, just hear me out," Liam pleaded with him.  "I'm not doing this because I want to.  You're my little brother and I'm just trying to protect you."

"From Louis!"  Harry answered scornfully.  "Really Liam?  After everything he has done for me?  After all the years he has been there for me when you weren't? Yet you suddenly feel the need to protect me from him?  Where is this coming from?"

Liam reached out a hand to brush Harry's long fringe out of his face.

"You're still so young," he mused mainly to himself.  "So innocent you can't see the flaws in a lad who you declare you know better than anyone else, and yet I really think you know him the least."

Harry screwed up his face with a disgusted snort to match.  That was a ludicrous suggestion!

"Have you forgotten that you're supposed to be friends?" he asked.  "Because if you had any respect for Louis then you wouldn't try to turn me of all people against him!"

"Look," Liam insisted, his eyes wide with worry.  "You and Louis had a great time growing up and I know you're good friends.  I just think you should concentrate more on other friendships and not rely so fully on someone who has proven time and time again that he's grown out of you.  He's grown up.  He has adult relationships, goes to adult places..." Harry flinched away as Liam attempted to stroke his cheek.  "You're mentally still a baby who wants to mess around and play about.  You have no idea what the real world is all about in your fun little bubble..."

Stretched out on the floor beneath the bed and glaring daggers at Liam's knees Louis gritted his teeth with frustration.  Harry shouldn't have to listen to this bullshit.  All he wanted to do was jump out from his hiding place and give Liam what for!  

But that wouldn't help Harry at all.  As quietly as he could Louis shuffled as close as he could to the left so he was directly underneath where the omega was lying and stretched his arm up the side of the bed, careful to keep his hand well under the covers, and inched his fingers to find any part of Harry he could.  If he could just touch him, just remind him that he was still here and that Harry still felt cared for and loved.

There was a little squeak as he made contact with Harry's bare thigh but Louis didn't dare move his hand.  Just froze in position, eyes squeezed shut as he expected to be caught.

Under the pretence of massaging the cramp he'd claimed he'd had, Harry waited a few moments before grasping hold of Louis' awkwardly positioned hand and squeezing it tightly.  Once again his alpha was going the extra mile to support him and gave Harry that little bit of confidence.

"How can you say that I don't know Louis when really it's you that doesn't know me?" Harry hissed as he struggled to sit up.  The hand that had been clutched to Louis' was now balled up into a fist in his lap.  Beneath the covers Louis' fingers clutched at his thigh.  

"Almost all my life you picked me apart and made me feel small, insignificant and worthless.  When I was next to you I was just someone you wanted to get rid of.  Louis may be different in your short sighted vision, but to me he will always be the most constant, unconditional and supportive friend I could ever have!"

His eyes flashed with uncharacteristic pity as he looked upon his brother who he had always tried so hard with.

"You've never had a friend like Louis and I pity you," Harry finally finished with a level stare.  "Because when I'm next to him, I don't feel insignificant, I feel like a king!"

Liam gulped stupidly.  Shellshocked by his brother's outburst.  "You've never had to deal with someone you respect and admire fall apart in front of your eyes," he murmured thickly, "see them disappoint you and not be the person you thought they were.  I don't want that to happen to you Harry.  You have such a sweet and innocent little heart.  I'm just trying to protect it from being broken.  I've seen the way you look at him.  He's an alpha, you're an omega, naturally one day your little omega self will want him in a different way - maybe you already do - but I can't let that happen.  Because you won't be enough for Louis.  You don't challenge him or excite him in that way..."

If Harry hadn't have screamed his next words Louis would have rolled out from his spot and had Liam up against the wall he was so angry.

"Get out!  Get out, get out, _get out_!" 

There was a thud and Liam's legs jumped a few feet back.

"Harry, I..."

"Get _out_!"

From his perspective Louis saw Harry's bare legs and feet land on the floor as the younger lad began to hustle his brother towards his bedroom door.

"You don't know _anything_!  You don't know _me_!  You don't know _Louis_!  And whilst you talk about respect, try showing some to our _mum_!  You never call her!  You never visit and she'll never tell you but she's _hurt_!"

With one last push from Harry, Liam stumbled into the hall and had the door ceremoniously slammed in his face.  

"Harry!  I'm just looking out for you!" Liam pleaded through the door after trying the handle and finding it locked.  "Please!  You've never looked into the abyss and see how it looks back!"  

But all he got in response was the sound of the television being clicked on and the volume turned up.  All he had tried to do was help his little brother before it was too late.

The moment Louis heard the door's lock click he was up and out of his hiding place and almost crashed into his baby boy who had nearly tripped over his own feet in an attempt to get under the bed himself.

Harry's face was red and his bottom lip trembled as he threw himself into his boyfriend's arms who instantly slipped his hands around the backs of his thighs and hoisted him up so his legs were wrapped around his hips like a koala bear.

Without missing a beat Louis backed them towards the bed and sat down, Harry straddling his lap, face hidden in his neck.

"I'm so sorry babe, I shouldn't have kept hidden..."

"No," Harry replied adamantly as he fisted a hand tightly into Louis' hair, the only part of his boyfriend he could grab and keep hold of.  "I needed to do that myself.  I just didn't expect him to say those things.  You are nothing like he said!  I know you're not!"

The grip tugging at his skull made Louis wince but after what Harry had just been through he didn't even think about complaining.  Harry was clingy and seeking comfort and as long as he felt that Louis would have quite happily let his hair be ripped out by the roots.

"Come on love, let's lie down," Louis coaxed as he peppered kisses upon Harry's blotchy cheeks and gently deposited him on his back.  The moment he was settled Harry made a grab for Louis once more.  He couldn't describe how much his brother's words had affected him.  Was he really a baby?  Was that how people saw him?  

He was thankful when Louis wrapped his arms around him and held him close, grateful for the kisses on his forehead and the tip of his nose, but it just didn't feel enough.

"Kiss me properly?" he asked through a sniff and tugged at Louis' shoulders to pull the older lad on top of him.  They wouldn't be close enough until Harry was fully compressed into the mattress by Louis' full weight.

The kiss was a lot rougher than Louis had become accustomed to, full of desperate urgency with more teeth than tongue as sharp little canines jabbed at his lower lip.  Hands grabbed at his backside, squeezing hard and forcing Louis' crotch closer to his own.

It should have been hot.  It should have set alight sparks and Louis should have felt white hot electricity jolt through his veins as he felt this new type of friction for the first time.

But it was all wrong.

It was almost like he had fallen head first into a furnace at full blaze.  A strong acidic scent vaporised from Harry's skin and stung the insides of Louis' nose till it almost made him choke and splutter.  

Harry wasn't just sad and upset, he was full on panicking and instead of talking to Louis about how he felt he seemed to want to hide it with a warped type of intimacy that Louis was not prepared to entertain.

"Babe," Louis tried to say, but was muffled by Harry's insistent mouth and when he tried to extract himself from his boyfriend's grasp all the omega did was grip hold tighter from hooking his feet around the backs of Louis' thighs - effectively clamping him in place - and grasped hold of his hair.  

Any other alpha would have used their full strength to overpower their omega, to physically put them in their place.  But Louis had never been like that.  He would always put his babies needs first, even when he wasn't entirely sure what the best thing to do was and he only had a split second to decide.

He needed to somehow get Harry to calm down on his own without feeling embarrassment or rejection.  

A surge of love and warmth threw the omega off kilter.  He had wanted so hard to prove that he was an adult and that he could do adult things too - and what was more adult than a sexual relationship with your significant other?

The kisses became less choppy and frantic as Louis reclaimed control.  Instead they became deep, intense and smooth, effectively progressing through the colour spectrum from smoky black, burnt rusted orange and fiery magenta until they settled down into pastel pinks, then cooled into blues where Harry's lips began to tremble, let his legs fall back onto the mattress and then he just cried.

"I'm not a baby," Harry snuffled into Louis' shoulder.  "I have my own mind and I know how to use it.  Why can't Liam see that?  Why doesn't he trust my judgement?  You should have seen the look he gave me.  It was like he was humouring a toddler!"

"Shhh baby, this isn't your fault," Louis insisted as he rubbed soothing circles upon his boy's back.  "This isn't a reflection on you.  This is about what Liam doesn't understand.  As painful it was to hear what he really thinks about me, it didn't compare to how shocked I felt when I realised how little he actually knows you.  I really thought he'd pulled his shit together when it came to you, but now..."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked softly and nudged at Louis' chin with his nose.  "What doesn't he understand?"

Louis rubbed his palms up and down Harry's upper arms and pressed a kiss to the crown of his head.

"How grown up you really are," he replied sounding affectionate and soft as he summed up his thoughts with the most simplistic term.

Louis had always been able to calm Harry down, but with the new addition of gentle lips and intimate touches he was even more pliant and susceptible than he was before, without a hint of resistance when his boyfriend held him close and rolled him onto his back, purely so that he could look deep into his eyes and tell his omega exactly what qualities he had that made him so perfect.

Harry listened silently, gazing up at Louis in wonder as the alpha managed to list so many wonderful aspects about him even though he knew his face was a teary, snotty, blotchy mess.

"If you want we can just tell him," Louis offered finally.  It wouldn't be ideal but he couldn't stand to be the cause of his babies tears once again.  "I don't give a shit what he thinks, he'll just have to deal with it, just like everyone else!"

But Harry shook his head.  He didn't want to.  He didn't want the arguments and the stress of it all and selfishly just wanted to snuggle back into Louis' arms and fall asleep, safe in his little cocoon and then make the most of the little time they had left together before Louis had to leave again.  If they told Liam he could just feel it in his bones that the alphas were going to fight, and what good would that do the band and their tour?  Harry didn't want to ruin that anymore than he already had done.  He would make up with Liam in the morning.  Louis would calm down his partying and "omega-ising" and then when they were in a happier place they would tell them.  This was all going to be worth it.  Louis was worth everything, and his thoughts were only confirmed when his boyfriend turned him tenderly onto his side, cuddled up behind him and proceeded to whisper sweet words in his ear and tenderly stroke his stomach until his eyes felt heavy and Harry drifted off to sleep.

Louis and Harry were in love and were together - they just weren't ready to tell the rest of the world yet, but for them that was just fine.

 

@CaptainStylinson:  If you don't think that Harry and Louis are cuddling right now then you are really deluding yourself! Don't fight me on this!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 17!  
> I've been on holiday this week so I had quality time to really relax, write and as you can see it was pretty productive.  
> I hope it's a pleasant surprise to get an early update and that you enjoy it.  
> As always thank you so much for the kudos and comments and the effort you took to leave them.  
> Take care, lots of love xxx

_The Mirror Demon grabbed Zayn by the wrist and immediately started to pull him towards the reflective glass._

_Despite its shimmery and frail appearance, the demon's strength was incredible and although the dark and dashing warrior tried with all his might, Zayn just could not prevent it from dragging him relentlessly.  When the demon touched the smooth cold surface of the glass, instead of colliding, it glided through with Zayn's battered and broken forearm clutched in its vice-like grip._

_Zayn's exquisite features twisted into wide-eyed horror as he first saw his own arm disappear, followed by the rest of his body.  It was only when Zayn found himself flung to the floor, heard the demon's evil laugh boom at him from every angle, and found that he couldn't go back the way he came, that our champion realised the truth.  He was now stuck in a mirror world of another dimension from which he would never return._

"What the hell bro?"

There was a scowl on Zayn's lips as he thrust his mobile in front of Niall's bemused face, but it wavered slightly as though it was hard to hold back a smirk.

"You killed me off?" Zayn's dark eyes were wide as he gestured dramatically with his phone as Niall's grin stretched with excitement. "By looking in a fucking mirror?"

"Ooh you're finally reading my fic!" Niall pretty much squealed as he clapped his hands together with glee.  "What do you think?  Do you love it?  Please say you love it!"

"You killed me off with an old cliché version of myself and you're asking me if I love it?"

"Oh details, details," Niall dismissed with a wave of his hand.  "You're vain, your demise was fitting.  Now, what about the Larry plot?  Did you like the bit where Louis saved Harry from certain death by slaying that blood beast and then extracted the venom from him by..."

"That was a major plot hole," Zayn argued incredulously.  "Louis should have sucked the poison out of the wound to stop it spreading, not his dick!  He was bitten on his arm for fucks sake!  How desperate were you to get some smut into the story?  Which by the way is disturbing on its own!"

"You're just jealous," Niall hummed with his usual good nature as he resumed tuning his guitar.

"It's freaky drivel mate," Zayn scoffed.  "Freaky fucked up drivel."

A sly smile played at the corners of Niall's mouth.  "Drivel which you read for seventeen chapters," he pointed out in a sing-song voice. "Sounds like you were pretty invested in the plot to get that far."

Zayn snorted but didn't argue.  He didn't want to admit it directly to Niall, but his story was nowhere near as bad as he'd been expecting, and as Niall had sweetly reminded him, Zayn had been gripped for seventeen whole chapters... and more than curious to see what happened in the next four.  Did he have time to read a little bit more now whilst they waited for Liam to show up?

No.  Zayn jumped guiltily and almost threw his phone on the floor when Louis unexpectedly breezed out of his hotel bedroom with glasses perched upon his nose, his laptop tucked under his arm, a mug of tea grasped in his other hand.  He would rather Niall's story come true than have Louis find out what he entertained himself with in his spare time!

"Why aren't you dressed?" Niall demanded as he took in Louis' baggy Adidas jogging bottoms, loose fitting tank top and bare feet and compared them to his own smart shirt and tailored denim. "You won't get into a club looking like that."

Louis just shrugged, cleared a spot on the coffee table for his Mac and his mug then flopped heavily next to Niall.

"Got other plans," he grinned as he pushed his glasses up his nose.  "But have a great night, I won't wait up."

"What plans?" Zayn asked with suspicion.  All he, Niall and Liam had talked about between press calls was how they were going to go out to let off some steam over a few beers.  Louis was always up for that, why not tonight?

"It's Liam isn't it?" Niall groaned as he carefully put his guitar back in its case.  "Louis.  You sorted this out on day one of the tour.  You agreed to disagree, shook hands and put it behind you for the good of the band.  Don't tell me that awkward tension is back again?  I can't stand Liam when he's in a mood.  He reminds me of a huffy old geography teacher!"

"Why geography?" Louis had to ask.

Niall shrugged.  "Name a comedian who used to teach geography."

Louis rolled his eyes as he continued to set up his laptop and Zayn began to fuss with his hair in the mirror.

"Oh fuck off!" he growled when Niall sidled up to him, a smug smile all over his face at how he had correctly characterised his friend in his story.  "I'm not vain!"

Niall laughed, Louis snorted into his mug of tea.

"So what are you doing tonight?" Zayn asked to change the subject.  "Got a date?"

"Just a study one," Louis chirped pleasantly.  "Harry's got to do a presentation about hygiene in the kitchen or summit.  I said I'd run it through with him a few times."

Niall and Zayn exchanged an amused glance.

"Yeah right!" Niall cackled.  "You're gonna miss out on a free night out for a speech on hygiene?  What are you _really_ doing?"

Louis blew his fringe out of his eyes and ignored Niall in favour of connecting to Skype and calling Harry whilst the other two alphas looked on.

Harry answered the call almost immediately and from the look of him on the screen he was obviously ready for a homework session, judging by the scattered text books and papers around him on the bed.

"I'm all set Lou!" Harry exclaimed with a big smile as he saw his (secret) boyfriend's face.  "Ready to learn?"

At the sound of Harry's voice Niall and Zayn leapt onto the settee either side of Louis and waved their greetings into the camera, just as Liam entered the suite, freshly showered and smartened up for a night on the town.

"What's happening?" he asked with curiosity as he took in the three lads clustered around Louis' laptop.  "Why aren't you dressed Louis? We haven't got all night to wait on you."

Louis swallowed a sigh.  "I'm not coming, I have other plans," he explained again.  "Harry needs some help with his homework."

Liam frowned to himself and took a peek at the screen for himself, actually surprised to see his younger brother cross legged atop his bed.

"What do you need help with?" Liam asked Harry with suspicion.  Louis wasn't the kind of lad to miss out on a few beers to help with homework.

"My health and hygiene presentation," Harry told him as he held up his speech notes.  "I'm rubbish at public speaking, but Lou knows all the tips from drama class so he said he'd help me."

"How... nice... of him," Liam muttered to himself as a small seed of guilt began to germinate in his belly.  "So... erm... that's why you're not coming out with us?"

On screen Harry's face fell.  "Oh Lou!  I don't want you missing out because of me!" he insisted.  "This isn't important and you've had a really hard week.  Go out for the night.  I can manage."

"Don't be silly Haz," Louis insisted fondly as he lent closer to the screen fully aware that Niall, Zayn and especially Liam were there to hear him.  "Nothing is more important than your studies and you know I'd drop anything if you needed my help."

Harry beamed at Louis wholeheartedly.  Liam looked uncomfortable.  Niall was positively a stone's throw away from squealing like a teenage girl over how sweet the two of them were.  Zayn on the other hand just wanted a stiff drink... and some more gel for his hair... ok, maybe he still was a _little_ vain.  Niall should count the number of fucks he gave!

"Er... well... good luck on your presentation Harry," Liam stumbled to say as Zayn began to usher him and Niall out of the room.  "Let me know how it goes?"

"Ok," Liam heard Louis say to Harry before the door shut behind him.  "How about you start off by reading it to me and we'll take it from there?"

Liam was surprised by Louis' behaviour.  It was like he has really taken what he had said to him on board and was actually following it though.

Of course it probably wouldn't last.  People made promises they couldn't keep all the time.  Everyone had good intentions, not everyone acted on them.  

Then again, Louis had quit cigarettes after an evening of chain smoking in an enclosed space with Zayn, which had triggered Harry's asthma and caused him to have quite a scary attack.

But that was years ago...

 

Back in the hotel room Louis heard the door click shut and smiled at Harry slyly.  "How good a friend do I look now?" 

Harry grinned so widely his dimples popped.  "You did really well babe, I'm really proud of you.  I liked the bit where you really emphasised how important my studies are.  Very responsible."

"Alright babe, no need for sarcasm," Louis responded playfully.  "But doesn't it look like I'm taking our friendship more seriously?"

Harry nodded and arranged himself so he was lying on his front, his face closer to the camera, and in a weird way it made him feel closer to Louis... although screen Louis was nowhere near as good as the real thing.  Louis' arms should be around him, his cheek should be pressed against the fluffy cotton of his t-shirt and his senses should be ensnared with the perfect mixture of flowery fabric conditioner and the alpha's own musky scent that never failed to remind his heart where he belonged.

"I miss you Lou."

Louis' whole stance immediately turned soft.  He'd missed Harry so much even if he had only been out of the country for a few days.  He hated waking up without a face full of curls and the soft expanse of Harry's back pressed against his chest.  It wasn't the same talking over Skype, not when he could be sitting beside him, smell his emotions, tangle their fingers together, kiss him spontaneously after Harry had said something particularly goofy.

"I miss you too baby."

 

They didn't rehearse Harry's presentation.  That had just been an excuse for why Louis didn't want to go on a night out with the lads and show Liam how he could be mature and responsible.

Instead Harry filled Louis in on his day.  His classes were fun, Ed was still avoiding him like the plague out of sheer humiliation, with Nick adamant on bridging the gap, to which Harry was mournful to admit was probably the same distance as he was from Louis at that point, and all the alpha wanted to do was kiss his omega senseless, especially when he stuck out his bottom lip which was always so biteable.

Louis in turn told Harry about his full day of interviews in Belgium.  How after a jam-packed four days since Liam and Louis had called a truce under the insistence of their other bandmates, Liam still couldn't really look at him in the eye and people were beginning to notice the friction between them and talk about it on Twitter, which concerned him a great deal.  If the fans were worried they didn't exactly keep their feelings to themselves and at times could pull things all out of proportion.

"The worst thing is," Louis complained bitterly to Harry with a grimace.  "I can't even talk to anyone about this.  I am the happiest I have ever been in my entire life!  I've got an incredible boyfriend who I love with all my heart and have to pinch myself daily to remind me that it's actually happening and I can't tell anyone!  It sucks H, it actually sucks!"

"I know," Harry nodded soothingly.  "But it won't be for long.  We just need to set up a few more scenes that's all."  He toyed with the paper aeroplane pendent that had hung from his neck ever since he had been given it by Louis years before.  "I did actually want to talk you about something.  It's about Liam."

"Oh?" Louis' thumb absentmindedly stroked over the tattoo that matched Harry's necklace.  "What's up?"

Harry frowned as he considered his next words.

"Well, I was thinking about what he said to me that night and I was wondering if we should be worried?"

"About what?" Louis' nose wrinkled up.  "I think _he_ should have been worried about facing me after all the shit he said behind my back, but not you Haz."

"If you cut out what he said about you and I," Harry continued thoughtfully as he dragged out every syllable.  "He pretty much said that someone he admired had let him down in a pretty big way.  And what he said about the abyss was downright creepy."

"What's an abyss?" Louis questioned as he scratched at his scruff and wondered idly what Harry would look like with a touch of stubble rash on his chin.    

"A deep or seemingly bottomless cavern," Harry replied instantly.  "I googled it," he further explained.  "Still don't know how that can look back at you, although another example was describing where the regions of hell were conceived..."

"Cheery!" Louis commented dryly.  He didn't like the crease between Harry's eyes that deepened when he was really concerned about something.  It was also a clue when Harry made an effort to really enunciate instead of mumble. "Maybe he was just trying to be dramatic or summit.  If there was cause for concern we'd know about it wouldn't we?  No room for secrets in this band."

"Well... usually I'd agree," Harry nodded, but he held Louis' eyes with a sceptical expression.  "Except for the fact that the whole band think you're a horny alpha who's shagging a girl called Eleanor, who is actually in a full blown relationship with your bodyguard, and you are in love with a boy - i.e. me - and still have your V plates!" he paused to let out a low groan.  "If we can have secrets then so can the rest of them."

Louis opened his mouth to counter the claim, but then firmly shut it once more.  Harry did have a point.  Who knew what really went on in everyone's head, and Liam did spend a lot of time MIA.  How many times had they waited to do something because he was travelling back from who knows where or not visited home during his time off?  Louis could list at least six times and that was only in the last few months!

"I'll keep an ear out," Louis promised his boy faithfully.  "But try not to worry too much.  It's probably nothing.  Maybe he's got a girlfriend."

"Then why is he stressed?" Harry asked with a grimace.  "Wouldn't he be all happy and stuff?"

"Maybe she's not putting out," Louis smirked, then put on a hacking cough when Harry glared at him in a disapproving fashion.  "Sorry babe, I can't rescue myself from that one.  Honestly though, it's probably nothing."

But in truth the back of Louis' neck had started to prickle although he tried to hide it by switching the topic to the new puppy called Bruce that Alberto and Eleanor had recently adopted.  Harry adored puppies and Louis was glad he had pictures of Bruce to send via their chat window, as it's cute little face with huge soulful eyes brought his omega's smile right back.

"So, anything you want from me during this trip?" Louis asked with a small smile as he thought about the Belgian truffles Harry was always so delighted by.

"Well..." Harry pondered for a second.  "Could you... could you look after Liam and make sure he has someone there for support if he needs it?  I feel bad about throwing it in his face that he doesn't have a friend like you, and... well... I wouldn't feel as worried about him if I know he's got you." Harry looked a little shy.  "I mean... some days I don't know how I would have gotten through if it hadn't been for you supporting me."

It wasn't the first time Louis' heart had swelled with pride at how sweet and selfless Harry could be.  Liam had said so many horrible things to Harry, but when his omega looked back on the conversation all he seemed to have taken from it was how lonely Liam could be and wanted to fix it somehow.  That was Harry all over, he could ask for anything he wanted and yet the only thing he wanted was for the benefit of someone else.  Just one of the thousands of reasons why he loved his boy so deeply, hand in hand with one of the millions of reasons why Louis didn't deserve him.

"You mean you want me to forget about how he said..." Louis began with his best unforgiving expression, even though he was going to do what Harry wanted regardless.

"Please Lou?  If he could just find it in himself to open up to someone and share his feelings then it might make him feel more accepting about us.  He said he didn't want me to feel let down by you.  Maybe someone has done that to him and it's tainted his trust.  Prove to him that there are good people out there who he can trust and maybe encourage him to have a little fun and not be so serious.  I honestly can't remember the last time I saw him properly smile."

"Of course I can do that," Louis promised, feeling nothing but fond.  "Even if it's something small, we'll get to the bottom of it.  Besides..." he thought back to his childhood,  "... it's not the first time I have made an effort to be his friend because it was what you wanted."

All Harry could do was smile.  Louis could read him pretty well, the alpha knew he was beyond grateful.

 

 

It was gone two in the morning when Liam, Niall and Zayn tumbled back into their hotel suit after a pretty good night out.  They'd toured a few bars, followed some cute girls to the nearest club and sampled a vast selection of the popular local beverages.  All in all it had been a good night.

Whilst Niall stumbled around and giggled to himself over whatever was going on in his unique little mind, and Zayn tried to hide his tipsy state with faux nonchalance which would have fooled nobody, Liam basked in how relaxed he felt.

It had been a while since Liam had allowed himself to let loose and properly enjoy himself.  Sometimes it felt as though he had too much on his plate and too much responsibility to uphold on his own, and it was difficult to master the delicate balance between his personal and work life, which could teeter to either side with little to no warning.  Sometimes he had to forego doing the fun things in life in order to do something serious for someone else, but that was just how his life was.  Did he always like it?  No.  Did it make him want to be a better person?  Yes.  Would he succeed?  Who knew...

However, tonight had been fun.  Niall and Zayn had always been entertaining companions and although Louis hadn't been with them Liam was quite relieved that he was doing something sensible with his time other than giving the tabloids more fodder to dick around with.

One Direction was a brand, one that determined their future careers and paid their bills, and Liam worried that one day Louis' playboy, footloose and fancy free antics would tarnish their squeaky clean image once and for all, and possibly even drive away their loyal fanbase.  

As much as Liam loved his job wholeheartedly and purely because of his passion and enthusiasm for creating and developing new music, he also needed the income.  

Louis had never been good with money and was more of a spender than a saver.  Didn't Louis understand that when Liam was hard on the elder alpha over his indiscretions that he was only trying to protect his future too?  The lad was just so frustrating!

He gave both Niall and Zayn clumsy hugs goodnight then pretty much fell into his room after crashing into the doorframe twice due to the alcohol in his bloodstream, confusing his brain to its location.

He managed to get onto the bed and switch his phone on for the first time that evening since he had selfishly wanted to give himself the chance to enjoy his night.

As soon as he began to read the slew of text messages that had gathered during the night he knew he had done the right thing.  But to be hit by all of them one after the other in his delicate state, erased all the self preservation he had attempted by allowing himself a night off from being responsible, and just squeezed tighter upon his temples until his head pounded.

"Liam?"

Wild eyed and red in the face Liam pulled his vision to the bedroom door to see a rumpled Louis with a confused and concerned expression on his face.

"What's wrong?  I heard a crash."

Louis indicated to the wall that shared their two bedrooms, then walked over to it and picked up something from the thick piled carpet. 

"Did you just throw this?" Louis asked thickly and held out a remote control for the television and some batteries which must have fallen out on collision.

Liam couldn't remember throwing the remote. He didn't recall picking it up to begin with.  But he had been so angry with himself for messing up again, for not being where he should be... again.  He just stared at Louis.  He had no idea what to say.

"Liam?  What's happened?" Louis gestured to the phone clamped tightly in his hand, but Liam shook his head.  He didn't want to talk.

Sometimes Louis did this thing where he would physically stop himself from speaking.  He'd draw in a deep breath, open his mouth, but before a single sound came out Louis would stop and clamp his lips together.  Liam often wondered how a loudmouth like Louis who was famous for not biting his tongue managed to have any self control.  But now he was just silently staring at Liam - analysing, judging with a shrewd expression and Liam didn't like it one little bit.  But then Louis' serious expression was cracked by a grin.

"Slippery little suckers aren't they!" he laughed as he popped the batteries back into the remote and carefully placed it on the bedside table.  "Sometimes I think these hotels coat them in butter so we accidentally break a mirror and they can claim damages or summit!"

Liam didn't really feel like smiling so he didn't.  Louis noticed.

"So, Harry did really well on his presentation," he offered as small talk and sat down next to him on the bed.  "I now know all about how you can't store cooked meat and raw meat unless properly packaged and how to recognise a bad egg before cooking."

Liam nodded distractedly.  Why was Louis talking to him about meat and eggs when he had so much more important things to think about?

"You know..." Louis cleared his throat uncomfortably.  "All I did tonight was listen to Harry recite.  Sometimes all people need is someone to listen to them, and considering how much I love to talk I'm actually pretty good at it.  I reckon I could win an award for listening stamina."

With that Louis patted Liam's shoulder, got up and moved towards the door.

"You should test me out on it sometime," Louis suggested as he reached for the door handle.  "I don't talk about it afterwards and... well... if there's anything you did want to talk about... my mouth's shut and my ears are open... anytime you need it."

Now it was Liam's turn to stare, unsure if he was only hearing what he wanted because his head was fuzzy and intoxicated or if Louis Tomlinson was actually reaching out to him because he sensed something was up and he wanted to help him... because - as much as he hated to admit it - Liam really was starting to struggle on his own.

"I'll remember that," Liam replied after a beat, still unsmiling, tone still emotionless, but inside he felt a flicker of warmth.

Louis raised his eyes comically, winked, then slid out of the room and shut the door behind him.

Maybe Louis did have a heart after all.  Was this the side of him that Harry so adamantly believed in?  Or was it just wishful thinking on his part that there were good and supportive people close to home?  Maybe one day he would take Louis up on his offer... maybe... one day... when things were better...

 

 

"So, how are you going to finish this exactly?" Zayn asked lazily as he started on chapter nineteen of Niall's fan-fiction.  "I mean, the whole premise of this story is that only one of them can complete the trial right?  I find it hard to believe that you of all people are going to kill one of them off.  Besides," he trailed off and scrolled to the top of the page, "you didn't tag major character death.  You should really warn people with that."

"Maybe there isn't a major character death," Niall chirped from where he was sprawled over the majority of the bed as he browsed Twitter.

"Wait a minute."  Zayn's eyes narrowed to slits.  "You killed _me_ off.  Are you telling me that I'm not a _major_ character!  Seriously dude... that's cold.  Icy cold!  My insides have just frozen over!"

Niall pulled a face.  "I never said you died.  You're the one who came to that conclusion.  You just got stuck in a parallel universe."

"But you said my demise!  That by definition is death!"

At Niall's shrug Zayn pulled it up on Google.  "See?  A person's death.  Synonyms are death, dying, passing away, loss of life, expiry, expiration, departure of life, final exit!  Need I go on?"

"Alright, alright, you can read a lot of words." Niall chuckled.  "You know, you're getting pretty heated over something you called _drivel_!  But seriously, you can relax.  You didn't die." He clapped Zayn on the back.  "Need you for the sequel buddy!"

"Well, maybe you should correct some of your readers on that," Zayn suggested.  "Because there are more comments along the lines of 'aggghhh you killed Zayn!' than on your attempts of gay smut... which is still disturbing..."

"And yet you're still reading!" Niall replied smugly.  He clicked on his Twitter notifications and glared at his phone.  "Oh you think that do you?  Well I'll show you bitch!"

"Are you trolling again?" Zayn groaned.  "I keep telling you, if you will keep provoking the antis they're going to bite back."

"Hey!   _They_ come at _me_!" Niall shot at him just as quickly as he was typing out a tweet.  "I just spread love, joy and inspiration with my tweets.  I don't make them look at my profile or read my shit!  They do that on their own free will!"

Zayn smothered a laugh in the crook of his arm.  "What did you write?" he asked innocently, certain that it was something at least mildly offensive to get a bad reaction.

"I only linked my fic and said 'if you enjoyed the poison sucking scene, imagine how Louis looks on his knees IRL'."

"For fucks sake Niall!  You can't tweet shit like that!" Zayn groaned scraping a hand down his face.  "If only for the fact that..." an important fact crossed his mind which he couldn't believe he had actually overlooked until now.  "Oh fuck!" he exclaimed out loud in a mixture of horror and unabashed glee.  " _Harry_ _follows_ _you_!  Fuck Niall!  What if Harry has _seen_ this? What if he's _read_ this?"

"And yet you still need convincing that Larry is real," Niall summed up with a triumphant grin.  "I mean, it would be great if he tweeted me or liked the tweet - I mean, I would be so excited I'd be doing the river dance in a puddle of my own piss - but the fact that I know it's popping up on his timeline and he still doesn't unfollow me speaks volumes!"

"Unless he muted you."

"Unless he... muted?  Has he fuck!  I didn't even beg him for a follow!  He found me all on his own!" Niall shot back in defence.  "My tweets are amusing, witty and from the comments I receive from my manips of the two of them together, I have my followers _shook_!"

"In all seriousness though, Harry and Louis would make an amazing couple," Zayn contemplated wisely.  "I can't actually think of a single time I have thought of one without the other.  They just complement each other so well.  Louis' loud and brash, but Harry makes him warm and insightful."

Niall nodded with complete agreement.  "Whereas Harry might be a bit quieter and considerate but Louis encourages him to be brighter and bolder.  They really are the perfect combination of personal attributes."

Zayn smiled as he thought of the pair.  "It was nice of Lou to stay behind tonight to help H with his homework.  You reckon that will make Liam back off him a bit now?"

"He'd better," Niall grumbled.  "If he is the reason that Larry doesn't happen I will be so... actually that's an excellent point.  Thanks mate!"

He turned back to his phone, tapped out a new tweet and then read it aloud to Zayn who was waiting expectantly.

"Louis didn't miss a night clubbing to help Harry with him homework for you to be a #WeakLarry."

Zayn chuckled but then his face blanked of all emotion.

"Repeat that?" he asked faintly as he gripped the covers of the bed.

Niall gave him a look but happily repeated what he had just said.

"Niall... if you are an anonymous account how on earth would _you_ know that?  Please tell me you didn't post that?"

Niall's eyes widened as his already pale face whitened and he glanced down at his phone in horror as notifications started to ping up on his screen about likes, retweets and quotes.

"No... I... I posted it.  It's on Harry's timeline..."


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to chapter 18!
> 
> Happy new year! 
> 
> I must admit it's been a while since we last posted (and that is completely my fault), but I hope you enjoy our latest effort and that it doesn't disappoint.  
> Thank you very much for reading.   
> Take care and hope you have a wonderful day xxx

With equally shocked expressions Niall and Zayn stared at each other with wide eyes and open mouths as Niall's phone continued to buzz in his hand.

"What are you waiting for?" Zayn urged with the universal 'hurry up' motion of his hands.  "Delete it!"

"But that will look even worse!" Niall whined as his thumb hovered shakily over his Twitter screen.  His vacant hand flapped uselessly. "A deleted tweet looks like I have something to hide.  You know what Directioners are like!  They screen shot everything!"

"Gimmie that."

Zayn snatched the phone from his friends limp hand and opened up a new tweet.  "It's a good job one of us has a brain isn't it?"

"What are you doing?" Niall fretted anxiously and scrambled to hook his chin over Zayn's shoulder to get closer to the screen.  "What are you saying?" His voice slightly shook with nerves as he added,  "Don't make me sound stupid."

Zayn typed out a few damage control tweets then passed Niall his phone back for approval. If this didn't work then they were well fucked.

OMG!  CANNOT BELIEFE I JUS MET 1D IN A CLUB!

ALL BUT LOU WAS RHERE!  Z TOLD ME RHAT HE HAD STAYED BEHIND TO HELP HARRY WITH HOMEWORK!  HOW CUTE IS THAT?!

OMFG MY HEART!  LARRY IS REAL!

ZAYN IS GORGEOUS IN PERSON!  HIS HAIR GIVES ME LIFE!  

 

Niall read them with frantic eyes and let out a loud exhale of relief.

"Thanks mate, good shout," he complemented.  "Now I just look like a normal Directioner..." he peered closer at the tweets and frowned, "... who apparently can't spell... why can't I spell?  Why am I so into _you_?  You are _so_ vain!"

Zayn rolled his eyes and flopped onto his back.  "You were excited about meeting us." He yawned.  "I am a very handsome man and you were obviously - what word did you use earlier - shook?"

His low chuckle was muffled by the pillow Niall used to swat his face with.  Now maybe that minor catastrophe was over he could finally get some sleep.

"Although.  If I was that excited about meeting us wouldn't I have been screaming _before_ I wrote the calm and composed tweet?" Niall inquired as he nervously chewed on his thumb nail and stared down at his phone as though he was fearful it would bite him.

"Just be happy that I got you out of it," Zayn yawned.  "Mentions settled down yet?"

"Erm... they're fine," Niall confirmed as he scrolled down his notifications.  "To be honest I don't think anyone noticed."

"How anticlimactic..." Zayn drawled and yawned once more.  "You know it kinda reminds me of those fics where they put that kind of shit as a cliffhanger and then brush it aside after the next couple of paragraphs of the update.  Can't stand those.  If I am made to wait months for an update I want something worth waiting for!"

Niall glared at him.  "Are you talking about my fic where Harry tried to jump over that massive pit of snakes and left it where he could have fallen in and be strangled to death in front of his lovers eyes?"

"He was obviously fine within the first sentence of the next chapter... although how he literally landed on Louis' dick still irritates me... that would be anatomically impossible.  Louis was wearing armour.  He couldn't have possibly had time to disrobe.  And since when was Harry running around naked?  You had him wearing tight leather trousers!  Which by the way are not battle efficient!"

Niall drew in a loud, long suffering breath and replied with the same exasperated tone.

"It's just fiction!"

Zayn rolled his eyes.  "Still doesn't have to be unrealistic.  I'll comment with all my notes for improvements you can make."

 

 

For what felt like the thirtieth time since he had tucked down to sleep Harry glared at his clock.  He was trying to sleep but no matter what position he was in or how much he pummelled his pillows he just couldn't nod off.  Now if Louis was here it would be a different story... but he wasn't.  Louis wasn't even in the same country let alone the same bed, and as much as he was used to the distance and - reluctantly - accepted it, didn't mean he liked it one little bit.  He wondered where Louis was right now.  Was he in bed?  Did his arms feel empty because he didn't have Harry to hold?  Was he asleep and dreaming of when they could be together again?

Huffing to himself he grabbed his phone, tucked Boo against his chest and snapped a sad, pouty selfie which he immediately sent to Louis along with the line 'I don't like being the big spoon!'

Not feeling tired in the slightest Harry scrolled through his Twitter feed in search of some new Louis pictures to _fond_ over.  Ever since he had read that phrase in a @CaptainStylinson tweet Harry had loved it.  It just summed up how Harry and Louis looked at each other.

Not much seemed to be happening at this time of night.  There was a notification that Taylor was now following him from a new account along with a DM asking how he was and that he'd be hearing her debut single any day now and she wanted to know what he thought of it 'for obvious reasons'.  The strangest bit was that she was now verified.  Harry had no idea what 'for obvious reasons' meant but he was looking forward to hearing it.  Sure she was a little bit ridiculous at times and he couldn't relate to her as such, but it pleased him when other people got good luck and fortune, especially when he knew them.

A series of tweets from his favourite account caught his eye.  Apparently they had actually met Niall and Zayn last night and seemed to be pretty excited about it.  Harry wondered if the lads would remember much about them since he'd always wanted to know who the owner of this account was and what they were like in real life.  To his disappointment they didn't post any selfies at all, but maybe Niall or Zayn could describe them to him.  He'd text them about it the next day, he even had something particular to prompt them with seeing that they had seemingly had a conversation about why Louis wasn't with them to which after a little smirk to himself he quoted with 'If only everyone was as lucky as me to have a friend like Lou!' and attached an old photo of himself wearing his 'Harry loves Louis' t-shirt.

Miles away '@CaptinStylinson' discovered he wasn't the type of person who wet himself out of excitement, and his partner in crime questioned if he would ever be able to hear out of his left ear again!

@CaptinStylinson:  Good morning mofos!  Harry loves Louis!  Gonna be a cracking day!

 

It wasn't until the next morning that Harry received a text back from Louis.  

'Go look at Niall's Twitter.  But don't get jealous baby, it was just once and I was thinking about you the whole time!'

Eyes narrowed with suspicion Harry went to Niall's profile and nearly choked from a spontaneous snort as he saw the picture his Irish friend had recently uploaded.

It was a picture of Liam and Louis atop a bed. Liam was spooning Louis from behind, his arms wrapped tightly around his torso and resting his chin upon the crown of his head fast asleep and peaceful.  Louis on the other hand resembled a very uptight and grouchy kitten who was glaring at the camera, all his limbs stiff and rigid.  The caption was 'and you were all scared these two didn't get along!'

Straight away Harry replied to Louis.  'I hope you don't prefer my brother over me now! What happened?'

'Didn't want to talk but wanted a cuddle.  He got morning wood... we are never to speak of this again... ps.  I think my own dick was so repulsed that it's retracted.  Gonna need you to coax it back out again!'

Harry's cheeks heated at the thought and he snuggled deeper down in his bed, shy at the thought of anyone seeing his reaction even though he was alone in his room.

'When are you coming home?' 

He didn't want to admit it but seeing that picture of his boyfriend and brother did spike a little niggle of jealousy.  He wanted to be the one to cuddle up with Louis - although he did prefer to be the little spoon.

'A week I think.  Just for a day and a night but it will be worth it to just have you back in my arms again.'

Just the thought of finally being able to get a proper night's sleep cuddled with his man ensured that Harry didn't stop smiling all day. Louis was coming home!

 

"Are you sure you don't want to go out today?" Louis asked Harry for what must have been the twentieth time that morning.  "We could go shopping?  A walk in the park?  What about the aquarium?  You've been talking about going for ages.  Today could be the day?"

Harry tried and failed to hide his smirk as he busied himself with a variety of mixing bowls and wooden spoons.

"Wow, you really will suggest anything to get out of baking won't you?"  Harry tutted as he playfully flicked Louis' nose.  "I know you think you can't cook but..."

"I _can't_ cook!" Louis whined pitifully in a tone that shaved a good six years off his age.  "No matter how much I try and copy you!  Your cookies always come out looking so perfect and melt in your mouth!  Mine?  Burnt, lumpy and get spat out!"

Harry couldn't help but smile at how disgruntled Louis was as he shuffled moodily on the spot, no doubt remembering how his last batch had been received by their respective families in comparison to Harry's.  It was safe to say that Louis didn't like to lose what he considered a competition.

"That's why you get the special job of being the cookie _shaper_!" Harry enthused brightly as he began to measure the flour and tried not to laugh as watched Louis' face flip from anxious to incredulous.

"Cookie _shaper_?" Louis deadpanned.  " _Special_ job?  What am I?  Six?"

"Not at all," Harry drawled teasingly and patted the work bench next to him.  "Now hop up here so you don't get under my feet and don't touch any of the knives or you'll..."

Before Harry could finish his sentence Louis' arm shot out, grasped the front of his t-shirt and yanked so hard he stumbled on his feet and fell against the elder alpha.  Quick as a whip Louis wrapped his legs tightly around his boyfriend's waist, tangled his fingers in his curls to crash their mouths together with the full intention of delivering the kind of passionate kiss that was guaranteed to turn his boy into a quivering, clingy, adorable mess.  That would teach him for giving Louis the job of cookie _shaper_! 

"Sorry love, what was it you were saying?" Louis asked sweetly after he pulled away from what he had turned into a long, luxurious kiss where he took extra care to nip at Harry's swollen bottom lip.  

Glassy eyed and a little flushed Harry both fish mouthed and blinked slowly as he began to regain focus upon Louis' delighted face.

"I... erm... oh Louis!" Harry finally groaned as his legs began to subside from feeling like jelly and playfully swiped at Louis' thigh. "You did that on purpose!"

"Don't know what you mean baby," Louis cooed and pressed his palms against Harry's cheeks to squish his face.  "It's not my fault you're just so damn kissable."  He tapped Harry's little nose.  "Maybe you should work on that, baking isn't going to get done by itself!"

Harry blushed for a split second before he stuck his tongue out childishly and rushed to rearrange himself in his shorts as Louis watched on wearing an angelic smile on the outside, a lust fuelled sultry gaze on the inside.  Harry just didn't seem to realise how outrageously enticing he actually was and seemed almost bashful as he began to fuss with ingredients still obviously a little dazed, peeping at Louis through his eyelashes.

Feeling as though he had accomplished what he had intended Louis slid off the counter top, moved directly behind his boy and cuddled against him, his chin lovingly hooked over his shoulder.

"I love you H," he whispered softly against the shell of Harry's ear as he chose to be a bit more sensible.  "Now, what are we going to make first?"

 

If he was completely honest baking wasn't the nightmare that Louis had envisioned when Harry had first suggested the day's activity.  Ok, so maybe he hadn't exactly been helpful.  If he wasn't distracting Harry with nuzzles to his neck or spontaneous kisses, he was eating the dough faster than his omega could make it and after he had caused three eggs to smash on the floor after an ill-timed tickle, Louis had found himself unceremoniously thrown out of the kitchen!

Of course that hadn't lasted long.  Louis had sat just beyond the threshold, cross legged, his lower lip stuck unnaturally out and whined, pleaded and begged until Harry had rolled his eyes and dragged him back in by the ankles.  Of course Harry ended up on the floor and a full on tickle fight ensued which naturally ended with them both covered with flour from head to toe and locked in a passionate clinch. It was actually a perfect day.  Louis finally got to spend quality alone time with his boy, which was all he ever wanted.

"So is it my turn to shape the next batch?" Louis asked as he sucked a piece of fudge off a wooden spoon and watched as Harry critically examined a tray he'd just prepared.  "I thought it was _my_ special job?  But yet all you have let me do is watch!"

Harry eyed him warily.  He knew Louis too well to dismiss that mischievous glint in his eyes. "You do remember my mum is going to eat these, right?"

Louis was the picture of wide eyed innocence which only amplified Harry's suspicions but as long as his alpha was smiling that was all he really cared about, especially since this activity wasn't Louis' idea of fun.  Without another thought Harry passed over the bowl of dough and turned back to his own master pieces.

 

"Louis Tomlinson!  What the hell are they?" Harry asked weakly as Louis proudly presented his tray of freshly baked goods which he had kept hidden from view under the insistence that he wanted them to be a surprise until after they were baked.  Harry now completely understood why.

"Lou!  They're... they're penis shaped!" he hissed at his boyfriend who was clearly pleased as punch.  "My mum's going to see these!  Why Lou?  Why?"

"Anne's gonna love 'em!" Louis scoffed.  "These are works of art!  Look how symmetrical I got the balls.  You can't tell me that you don't want to get your mouth around those!"

"Maybe this should be our special batch?" Harry suggested timidly as he watched Louis rifle through his box of decorations.  "What are you doing?"

"Tea-bag the balls in chocolate and cover them with hundreds and thousands to look like hair." Louis replied distractedly as he held up a piping bag.  "Can you fill this with white icing? I want to detail the heads."

Harry looked positively horrified.

"Chill out babe, it's not like I'm gonna make them spurt!" Louis grinned at him.  "Can you melt some more chocolate?  This is too solid to dip and no-one wants lumpy balls in their mouth!"

The important thing to remember was that Louis was actually enjoying himself and relaxed.  

Harry knew how hard Louis worked, how eager he was to please his fans, how he either wrote relentlessly in his downtime or travelled for hours just to come and see him.  One look at the dark shadows beneath his eyes that very morning, when Louis had crawled sleepily into Harry's bed at 2am and had fallen asleep within minutes kissing him in greeting, Harry knew exactly how shattered his man was.

As he watched him sleep nestled in his arms (another indication of how shattered the alpha was, Louis preferred to hold Harry in _his_ arms), Harry worried that Louis would ignore what his body and mind actually wanted/needed and push for some kind of activity the next day for them to spend quality time together.  What could Harry do to make sure that Louis could spend the whole day in his comfys, not have to worry about the paps trailing them wherever they went or having to ignore their childish attempts to get attention.  He wanted Louis to have a fun, relaxed and easy day.  One where he could kiss and cuddle his man whenever he pleased.

When Louis had woken up he mumbled something about wanting to eat cookies for breakfast.  With a metaphorical lightbulb shining above his head Harry announced what he wanted to do that day.

 

Harry and Louis had just finished cleaning up the kitchen when Anne and Des arrived home.  Well, Harry had been cleaning, Louis had just sat himself upon the counter to ensure that his precious cookies didn't get accidentally knocked onto the floor and ruined.

"Ooh, has my baby been baking?" Anne asked delighted as she pressed a gentle kiss to Harry's forehead and gave him a squeeze.

"Both your babies have been baking," Louis corrected her proudly and thrust his own plate in front of her face.  It was hard not to smirk as Anne's expression turned a little quizzical and Harry's cheeks turned a rosy shade of pink.

"You made these?" Anne clarified as Des leaned over to take a closer look.  "I might be wrong but they look just like..."

"Space ships!" Harry blurted out suddenly.  "We were watching a documentary about NASA and decided to do a space theme!  I made planets!"

"Space ships?" Anne asked in an amused tone and gave Harry a little squeeze.  "Louis made space ship cookies after watching a documentary?"

"More like pocket rockets," Louis offered with a quirk of his eyebrow.

Des shrugged, glanced between the two lads and took a cookie.  "Don't be offended Lou," he began as he took a generous bite off the head.  "But they just look like cocks to me.  Taste smashing though."  He finished the cookie after another couple of bites and reached for one more.  "Very authentic with the cream in the bollocks.  Or..." he glanced at Harry with a knowing smile.  "Is that meant to be fuel for the engine?"

"Well they taste delicious love," Anne praised as she closed her eyes and savoured the sweet taste of her white chocolate mouthful.  "I could eat these all day!"

"I wish you'd say that about my pocket rocket!" Des muttered to himself with a wistful glance at his crotch.

The playful smirk was wiped from Louis' lips and loud, horrified protests came from Harry's as Anne shook her head with an embarrassed laugh and playfully nudged her husband's foot with her own before leaning in for a kiss.

"Come on Lou," Harry squeaked as he grabbed his alpha's hand and led him out of the kitchen before anything else started between his mum and dad.  "We're no longer in the room to them now!"

But in the back of his mind Harry wondered to himself.  "Will Lou and I be like that when we're their age?"

He hoped so.

 

"So, remember when I told you that I was thinking of buying a place?" Louis asked his boy as they lay side by side upon Harry's bed eating their way through a plate of their baked goods.

"You mean when you got drunk, called at three in the morning, asked if I could keep a secret and then proceeded to tell me that you were thinking of asking me to move in with you - but don't tell Harry because it's a surprise?" Harry asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow.

Louis poked his nose fondly.  "Was still a good surprise though right?"

Harry nodded, his dimples in their most pronounced state to match his wide smile, and leaned over to press his forehead against Louis' firm shoulder.  He'd barely been able to think of anything else since.

"Well I think I've found us a place," Louis continued as he pulled Harry's laptop towards him and opened Google.  "It's a new build so it's not exactly finished yet.  But that's great because we can choose all our fixtures and fittings before they're installed."

Harry nodded along, already mentally packing in his head.

"It's in a gated community," Louis smiled at his boy, "because I want you to be safe obviously, but it's in a great area.  Have a look."

Louis had pulled up Google maps and zoomed in on a particular part of town that had been under development for some time and quite sought after.

"I think it would be such a good area for us.  It's not that far from town, but it's pretty secluded, the houses are built quite far apart from each other and the gardens are supposed to be huge," Louis told Harry excitedly as he jabbed at the map with his index finger.  "There's a park here, and that big building is a really good school."  He turned to proudly smile at Harry.  "I mean they're not gonna want to walk home with their dads when they get older are they!"

It was more of a statement than a question.  Harry blinked slowly and stared at Louis in astonishment.  Did he actually hear him right?  Was he actually picking a house for them to buy based on where the good schools were located for children they didn't even have yet?

"Er... Lou?" Harry asked timidly as Louis frowned to himself whilst studying the map. 

"Thing is," Louis muttered,  "I know you want to take a year off after college before you start university, but do you think you'll still want to go to the one you talked about?  Will you want to live on campus, or would you commute?  Because the train station isn't that far away, or I guess you could drive... but when I looked into it the parking options didn't look grea... what?"

Louis had only just cottoned on to the fact that Harry was staring at him, slack jawed and wide eyed.

"What's the matter baby?" he asked completely confused by his omega's astonished expression.  "Don't you like the area?  I'll show you the pictures of the model home.  The rooms are huge."

"You said _they_ won't want to walk home with their dads,"Harry frowned as he slowly composed his question.  "Who are _they_?"

"Oh, our kids," Louis replied with a smile and an internal sigh of relief.  "By the time they're old enough to go to that school they'd probably want to walk home with their friends.  Might as well live nearby.  I hate buses."

"Our kids," Harry repeated quietly, more to himself than to Louis and took a sudden interest in picking at the skin surrounding his nails.  This was an unexpected turn in events and he wasn't entirely sure how he felt about it.  He hadn't even finished his first year at college and yet Louis was talking about university parking and metaphorical children of theirs complaining about public transport!

Sensing a drop in enthusiasm on Harry's part Louis rolled over on his side to face his boy and reached out a single finger to stroke the back of his hand.

"What are you thinking?" he asked him quietly.  "Did I say something wrong?"

Harry's eyes darted between Louis' face and his own fingers.  It wasn't that the revelations had him uncomfortable, but they did bring forth some questions which he wasn't entirely sure how to begin asking.

"I just didn't realise you had... erm... planned so far ahead."

Concern clouded Louis' face.  "Is that a bad thing?" he worried out loud.  "Shit, I'm sorry love.  I didn't think.  I mean, just because I think about our future doesn't mean you do too."  He wriggled closer to Harry and put his arm around his shoulders.  "Forget I said anything yeah?" he comforted in a low tone. "We've got years to figure all that stuff out."

"I don't want to forget about it," Harry assured Louis in a rush and nuzzled into Louis' shoulder.  "It's just... you're just talking about us having children... and I want that... I want that so much... but..." he trailed off embarrassed by his own train of thought.

"Buuuttt?" Louis gently prompted.  "You're worried that I'm calling all the shots and think I've planned your whole life without consulting you?"

Harry shook his head with denial, his mouth a little dry.  "Well... I would have to be pregnant to have a baby..."

"No shit!" Louis smirked as he rolled his eyes and buried his nose in Harry's hair as he kissed his cheek.

"But how would that happen if we aren't..." Harry coughed to hide his discomfort, his cheeks flaming, "...intimate..."

"Hey!  We're intimate!" Louis protested with emphasis and trailed his lips along the young lads jaw to nibble on his earlobe just like he knew Harry loved, and stretched his legs to fully press himself against Harry's side who eagerly shifted his position to give Louis better access.

"Not that intimate," Harry murmured, slightly lost for breath as Louis' nimble fingers worked their way under the back of his shirt and slid up towards his shoulders to pull him closer.  "Not enough to make a baby."  And with those mumbled words he ducked his face away from Louis' kisses and hid it in his t-shirt.  Now he had gotten used to the idea he loved how Louis had been secretly thinking about the future and how he played such a big part.  The revelation had just brought a recent conversation to the surface which hadn’t played on his mind until now. 

“Patience love,” Louis murmured as he carded his fingers through Harry’s silky soft curls.  “You’re not ready for that yet.  Let’s not rush things eh?”

”So just in theory then?” Harry mumbled against his chest then glanced up with a slightly accusatory expression.  “What else have you got planned for us that I know nothing about?  Do you already know when we’re going to be...” he stopped to clear his throat nervously.  “...intimate?”

”Well I did book a day off work for us to...” Louis snorted with laughter at the shocked expression upon his boyfriends face.  “Not a clue babe, let’s just play it by ear shall we?  See what comes naturally.”

To Louis’ dismay Harry looked neither amused or comforted by his response.  Instead he clucked his tongue with annoyance and his eyes narrowed.

”Shall I show you the plans another time?” he asked gently as a whiff of sulphur teased at his nostrils and hugged Harry to him a little bit tighter.  It didn’t take a genius to work out that his boy was pissed off, but exactly why was a mystery, although Harry was still in his arms so it couldn’t be all that serious, could it?

With a huff Harry raised his head, his expression creased in a frown.

”Yeah,” he muttered bluntly and scrambled into a sitting position - noticeably further away from Louis than he would usually sit - and ran a shaky hand through his hair.  “Not really in the mood right now.”

”What’s wrong?” Louis immediately asked as he sat up himself and reached out to touch Harry’s arm.  “Is it really about the house stuff?  Because I honestly wasn’t trying to control everything, I was just thinking ahead because your needs are different to mine and...”

”Do you think I’m just going to be submissive to you because I’m an omega?” Harry interrupted bluntly, his tone a mixture of unease and fire.

Louis fish-mouthed for a beat as his brain struggled to catch up with his ears.  It was like watching Harry dubbed with a foreign voice.  His mouth was moving but that wasn’t his voice at all.  Not only was the question so far from the truth that it was in another continent, but it was downright offensive to everything that Louis stood for and believed in.  The fact that his Harry had even asked such a thing shredded his insides.  

”Where the fuck did that come from?” he finally wheezed out as his chest tightened and constricted.  “You know I don’t think like that! Why would you even ask me such a thing?”

Harry drew his legs up to his chest and shrugged which irritated Louis beyond belief.  If he was going to make accusations he should really have a reason to back them up with.

”Well it had to come from somewhere,” Louis argued.  “You know how I feel about domineering alphas, or at least I thought you did!  That was so fucking hurtful H.  I would never treat you with such disrespect!  So, where did you get the idea that I would?”

Harry’s eyes flickered from Louis’ anguished expression and the floor before he uncurled himself and reached under the bed to retrieve a large hard back book which he thrust Louis without looking at him or saying a single word.

The book was clearly old.  Leather bound with yellowed pages and a musty smell.  Louis’ nose wrinkled involuntary as he held it in his hands and read the faded gold leaf lettering embossed on the cover.

”Your Life as an Omega”

Louis’ eyes narrowed as he flicked through the well-worn pages, disturbing sentences catching his attention.

\- Only speak when spoken to.

\- Your alpha’s word is law.  You must expect to follow orders no matter of your personal opinion which is no longer of value.

\- From the moment courtship is established your body is no longer your own but property of your alpha.

\- Ensure you provide your alpha with sexual satisfaction or risk them searching elsewhere.

 

”You’ve been reading this?” Louis asked Harry sharply.  This was the exact type of reading material he thought should be burnt.  Old fashioned shit written by self-important and arrogant alphas.  “Where did you get it from?”

Once again Harry shrugged his shoulders, only instead of hostile like last time he was timid and meek in his actions.

”Harry?  Who gave you this book?” Louis asked in a gentler tone as he sensed his boy’s mood shift to one of anxiety.

Harry hid his face on the tops of his knees which made Louis ache to just pull his boy into his arms, cuddle him, kiss his face and try and work out what was going on inside that head of his.

”How about you tell me about what you’ve read?” Louis asked with a change of tactic and trying to ignore the part of his brain which was still outrageously offended.  “I’ve obviously said or done something to trigger you to make you react this way.  Something you might have read and didn’t like?  Can you help me understand?”

Harry raised his head once more and glared.  But he didn’t look angry, more confused and upset.  “Can you not talk to me like a child?”

Louis’ hands rose instantly in surrender.  He watched as Harry eyed him cautiously and felt his insides begin to twist with anxiety of his own but he knew Harry.  Remembered if he kept himself calm, softened his expression and kept very still then his boy would relax and eventually decide to talk.

”I’m sorry,” Harry murmured, eyes wide and glossy as he very slowly uncurled a hand from where they were clasped around his calves and stretched to rub the pad of his thumb against Louis’ toes.  “It’s my stuff.  I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

”Do you want to...?” Louis trailed off before he could finish his question as he held his arms out to beckon his suddenly fragile omega into his embrace, who gave a minuscule nod and shuffled forward a few inches to curl himself in Louis’ lap.

It was all Louis could do to prevent himself from gathering his boy up in his arms because he knew he would only squeeze too tight.  The mere thought that he had upset Harry with something he had innocently said filled him with fear.  He didn’t even understand what he’d done.  Was this the first time he’d said something wrong?  Surely Harry would have talked to him about it.

”Ed gave me the book,” Harry uttered quietly and squeezed his eyes tightly shut when he felt Louis’ heavy, frustrated exhale.  “I had some questions... and he said to read that because it held all the answers.  About what to expect, about what was to come.”

It was hard for him to do but for once Louis bit his tongue when it came to just how much he _despised_ Harry’s taste in friends.

”But all I got from the book was more questions because...”

”Because?” Louis prompted gently as he began to scratch his blunt nails against Harry’s scalp to soothe him.

”Don’t be mad,” Harry warned Louis quickly and nuzzled his face into Louis tummy.  “But... I... I don’t agree with most of it... it kinda goes against everything I believe in.”

”Thank fuck for that!” Louis rejoiced with relief.  “That book is utter bullshit sweetheart. Needs to be burnt.”

Harry’s brow furrowed as he sat up.  “But what if I’m wrong?”

”What about?” Louis asked suspiciously.

Harry shook his head.  “Doesn’t matter.  It’s stupid.”

Louis shook his head and grabbed for Harry’s hands, lifting them to his mouth so he could kiss his knuckles.

”Love, if something makes you feel as unhappy as this obviously does then it’s not stupid.  If you care, I care.”  

He gestured to the space around them.  “Whatever you say to me will go no further as you know.  This is your safe space to say whatever you feel.  I will never judge you, I will never belittle you.  Whatever you want to feel is valid because you feel it.”

”Who will I be after you mark me?” Harry asked quietly.

”You’ll be you,” Louis replied with a frown as Harry rolled his eyes.

”But will I really though?” Harry asked.  “Because the book said that...”

”Whatever you are about to quote I can guarantee that it’s no longer applicable.” Louis flicked to the front of the offending object and jabbed his finger on the page to prove his point.  “This was written in 1953 love, the world has evolved since then.  This was written years before alphas were even allowed to marry each other and adopt.  Whether you carry my mark or not, you are and always will be your own person.  I don’t particularly want a simpering housewife waiting for me to come home from work and being some kind of pup machine!  I want you to have your own life, career and aspirations.  I want to be with you, but I don’t want that to be at the cost of your identity.  You might be classed as an omega, but that doesn’t define who you are.  It’s what’s inside your head and your heart that's important to me.”

Harry nodded slowly, rearranging the information in his head to make it fit into the right frames in his mind.  What Louis was saying was what he had always believed.  If it hadn’t been for Ed making a joke about how submissive his personality was and if he was looking forward to being a human incubator for the rest of his life, he wouldn’t even have questioned it.  This wouldn’t be something that he was ready to share with Louis though, being the fierce protector that he was, he would never believe that Ed had only been joking... or had he...

“Do you know what I think about when I think about marking you?” Louis asked gently as he stroked Harry’s baby soft cheek.  “I don’t think about owning you or you becoming my property.  I think of it as more of a symbol of my love and commitment for you.  I don’t want people to think that you belong to me, I want them to see the exclusive bond between us that tells the whole world how in love we are and how proud we are to be together.”

His expression was serious as he cupped Harry’s cheek, his thumb gently caressing that little spot beneath his jaw, the little patch of skin that Louis had envisioned that his mark would one day reside.

”I wish alphas could be marked,” he commented wistfully.  “You have no idea how much I would love to have a claim on me that never fades.  But then again,” his lips quirked into a mischievous smirk, “I’ve always liked to think outside the box.  Anyone can see that your marks are all over me.”

For a split second Harry looked confused but as realisation dawned a smile began to creep in.

”Your tattoos,” he breathed with adoration and leant forward to push the sleeve of Louis’ t-shirt past his shoulder, seeing the ink stained skin with new eyes.  “But you’ve had some of those for years...”

”I’ve wanted this for a long time,” Louis replied honestly as he leaned in to gently press a kiss to the corner of Harry’s mouth.  “I was just waiting for you to be ready.  But with that, maybe I do go a bit too far when it comes to planning the future, but it’s only because when I look ahead, all I see is us.  But I can see how it would look a little insane... I’m sorry if you thought I was trying to dominate you.  Although...”

Louis stopped short and leant back on one elbow as he watched Harry nuzzle his tattoo with a romantic smile on his face.  “If you ever feel like you want or need to be more dominant in our relationship... like in...” he cleared his throat “... bed... well... I wouldn’t be opposed to that.”

”You mean I could be the one to slot it in?” Harry asked after a long pause and a rush of blood to his cheeks.

” _Slot_ it in?” Louis shook his head with disbelief as he pulled his boy into his lap, careful to avoid getting hit by a flailing limb.  “I was talking about sex, not a game of Tetris!”

”This is embarrassing!” Harry grumbled as he hid his flaming face in Louis’ neck feeling the vibrations of his boyfriend's laughter through his chest as he rubbed his back.  “Why did I say _that_?”

Louis cuddled his boy close and sweetly kissed his forehead.

”Maybe because you’re as nervous about it as I am?” he suggested.

”You’re nervous?” Harry scoffed with a kiss to his collarbone. “What about?”

”Lots of things,” Louis pondered aloud staring into space as he traced non-sensical patterns upon Harry’s shoulder blade.  “Performance issues, not being able to get you off, not being able to impregnate you... lots of things...”

”Lou?  How much do you think about us having a baby?” Harry asked quietly and shifted into a position where he could see Louis’ face properly.  

“A lot,” Louis admitted shyly.  “The thought of you carrying my pup makes me weak.  You think alphas can’t be submissive?  Wait until your bump starts to show.  I can guarantee I will be wrapped around your finger even more than I am now, but you have no idea how much I want that.  Going out at midnight to find whatever revolting snack you’re craving, holding your hair back when you have morning sickness, rubbing your feet when they’re swollen.  I can’t wait for that shit.”

”But not for a while right?” Harry asked warily.  “Because I don’t think I’m ready...”

”We’ll both know when the time is right,” Louis jumped to reassure him.  “Not going to trick you into it.”

”We don’t do this enough,” Harry whispered as he clung to Louis with desperate fingers.  “Talk about the important stuff.  I wanted to call you after Ed said those things, but I didn’t want to burden you with my worries when you’re so busy.”

”You should!” Louis emphasised and shuffled down the bed so he could properly press himself into Harry’s embrace.  “I want you to call me!  Maybe if you had it wouldn’t have built up so much.”

”I’m so sorry.  I don’t know what came over me,” Harry whispered ashamed.  “I know you would never treat me that way.  It’s just that when you’re constantly hearing that you’re weak, submissive and useless apart from making babies and... satisfying alphas... well... it grates.”

“I’m sorry I'm not always around when you need me,” Louis murmured as he held his boy tightly to his chest and kissed the top of his head.  “But I’m never out of reach.  Not for you. Any time, any day or night.  If you need me I’ll be there for you.  All you have to do is say it.”

A thoughtful expression crossed Harry’s face as he studied Louis’ own.

”I love you.”

Louis cracked a smile, though he was trying to work out if he could convince management to let him stay a few more days.

”I love you too.”

"I think I was wrong about something though,” Harry realised as he cuddled down to sleep.  “When I referred to being intimate as... you know... sex.  What we’re doing now?  Sharing, talking through our fears and dreams?  This is real intimacy isn’t it?”

”Absolutely,” Louis agreed.  “You know something else?  If you would stop taking those nobody’s opinions to heart then you wouldn’t feel so bad...”

 _Or make me feel bad in the process._  He added silently.

“I’ll try,” Harry promised subdued, the crease between his eyes deepening as Louis rolled over on his side and groped behind him.  “What are you doing?”

”I kinda need to be the little spoon tonight,” Louis mumbled quietly as he reached for Harry’s arm.  “Even alphas need to be held sometimes.”

Harry sank down behind his beloved boyfriend, wrapped his arms around him and buried his nose in the fine hair at the back of his neck.  There was no doubt in his mind that there was no other alpha in the world quite like Louis and as he felt himself drift off to sleep, all he could do was internally kick himself for ever letting anyone influence him and doubt his alpha's intentions, even for a moment.

”Lou?  Can you show me the house tomorrow?” Harry yawned and kissed the back of Louis’ neck.  “I really want to move in with you.”

Louis was barely conscious as he tightened his grip and hugged Harry’s forearm to his chest.

”Whatever my baby wants.”


End file.
